The Thief of Light, The Maid of Shadows
by Lonely Support
Summary: Sadayo Kawakami wanted nothing to do with Akira Kurusu, her new transfer student. He was a problem child with a criminal record and she simply wished he was taken off her hands. She had no idea how much her life would change after a accidental encounter with him during her night job, or how important a person he would become in her life, just like she would his.
1. Prologue

**Hello, welcome to my first attempt at doing a fanfic, and what I hope will be a series. In my attempt to throw my hat for my favorite couple, I wanted to do a retelling of the relationship between Sadayo Kawakami and Akira Kurusu. Their circumstantial meeting, the bond that grows as they get to know each other and where that path will lead them. The story will follow the game events, but there will be changes that will happen, some small some large, but I hope that you will enjoy the ride.**

 **Before I start I want to give thanks to those in the appreciation thread that gave me the confidence to give this a try, to Mizutanitony for his story inspired me (If you haven't read it yet and are interested in some great Akira/Sadayo stories I highly recommend it) and our discussions always helped me wanting to continue forward and coming up with ideas, I hope not to disappoint, and my wife who has been very supportive in my decision to write this and has helped examine my work.**

 **Also to note, the first six chapters of this where already posted in but I will be updating both of these as I continue forward.**

 **EDIT: The main character's name for the series has been stated as Ren Amamiya, but I as like many grew to really like the name Akira Kurusu so I will continue to use it.**

 **Edit:This chapter has been updated since 8/14/2018. Thanks goes again to Chessicfayth for their help.**

 **I don't own these characters as they belong to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

It was evening in Tokyo, Streetlights flicker on as many began to head home, from clubs, works or other activities. A number of stores proceed to close, even as other swing to the night shifts. For many it is the time in which they finally get to relax and recharge, preparing for the next day. For Sadayo Kawakami though, it just meant the start of her night jobs.

Sadayo had just arrived back to her apartment, finishing her evening meal (takeout, again). She had just finished walking the neighborhood dogs, and was exhausted as she dropped her bag and fell face first onto her couch. Turning her head to the window, she rubbed her eyes as she saw as the last of the daylight disappear into the night, and prepared to finally get some rest.

Just as she managed to drift off, her phone chimes, the particular ringtone stirring feelings of dread. There was a request open for her if she was free. She glowered at her phone and gave a tired sigh, wishing she could ignore it. There was no chance of saying no though, not while she was behind for the week; and she had to worry about her living expenses as well. Resigned to this fact, she responded with a confirmation and went to get changed. It was just one more thing.

Once she had changed into her uniform she went to the mirror in her bathroom. After washing her face and while starting on her hair, she reflected on the last month. April had been crazy, even by her own standards. It had all started with the arrival of her newest source of stress, Akira Kurusu. The boy that had been transferred to Shujin after having been expelled from his previous school. For some unfathomable reason, the principal permitted his transfer to the school. This would had been bad enough by itself, but it had been made worse by the fact that his expulsion was due to an assault charge. Having that kind of problem student would almost certainly cause a lot of eyes to turn their gaze to Shujin. Eyes she didn't want looking her way. A pipe dream, since he had been placed in her classroom.

"Only one with an open seat my ass... They probably shoved him with me cause they didn't want him causing problem to the other teachers." she muttered in frustration as finished putting up one of the pigtails.

And as she feared, he didn't waste time at all to causing problems. Not only was he incredibly late on his first day, but it was obvious that he was lying about his reasons, not to mention later on he was asking about the school being a castle for some reason. Then there is the fact that he also started associating with Sakamoto-kun, even after she'd warned him off! And to end it all off, word of his criminal record had already spread all over school before the day ended. So now she had to also deal with all of the rumors flying about. She sighed again. It was just one more thing.

As she finished with her hair, Stared stared at what seemed a very different person, it always surprised her how much one's appearance could change with a few alterations. Not that she minded; it meant that it was less likely for people to recognize her while working as a maid, and now that Ms. Chouno was looking and prying her nose into everyone's business, being harder to recognize was a good thing. The other teachers had been o everyone's case since the incident with Kamoshida...

She grimaced at the thought of the man, a wave of regret started washing over her. Telling herself she didn't know was of small comfort. She couldn't help but think if she'd been more involved, tried harder, she could have prevented it. If she'd just paid attention like she had with...

Sadayo shook herself of the thought, and looked down at the sink as the water continue to run from the faucet into the basin.

For the longest time she had thought Kamoshida a very capable teacher and a good man. He was boastful, but seemed to be very proud of his volleyball team, and had worked hard to give the school a good reputation. While there had been some complaints about how he ran the team, she just figured they were exaggerations spread by troublemakers and students too lazy for the former Olympian's training. She had been very impressed with how he didn't let those rumors get to him, she admired that strength, just a bit. When he had mentioned to her that he was going to discuss Kurusu, Sakamoto and Mishima-kun's expulsion during the next meeting, she had to admit that part of her was relieved. While she found it odd that Mishima-kun was included, she knew Sakamoto-kun had a grudge against Kamoshida and had been causing a lot of problems with the school. She wasn't even surprised to hear that Kurusu-kun was part of it, considering how (despite her warning to not do so) he had continued meeting with Sakamoto-kun. She thought he was finally going to be taken off her hands, finally get even a small break. But then something else had happened…

It had all started with those cards that had appeared all over the bulletin boards. A group calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts was making claims about what Kamoshida had done and that they would 'change his heart'. It had brought out a side of him that Sadayo had never seen before. He wandered the halls agitated, yelling at the students, trying to find out who did it. The next day though, Kamoshida didn't show up to school at all. In fact it seemed like he had shut himself in at his place. Because of this, any talk of the boys' expulsion had been put on hold,

Then on the School Morning Assembly at the beginning of may, Kamoshida showed up. He looked like the life had been drained out of him, talking about being "reborn" and that he needed to confess. He walked up the stage with everyone watching, students, teachers, and the principal. Then, much to the shock of everyone there began revealing all the horrid things that he had done. The Verbal abuse that he inflicted on students to push them into doing what he wanted. The physical abuse the members of his volleyball team had gone through, to the point of being beaten whenever Kamoshida needed an outlet. The sexual harassment of the female team that could do nothing but endure it while he treated them as toys for his amusemen. Then, finally, his admittance that he was to blame for the recent suicide attempt.

Everyone was quiet as he revealed everything, fear warring with shock and disbelief in the student body and faculty alike. The room seemed to freeze as Kamoshida offered not only his apology, but also his life, seemingly prepared to end it on stage before them. She remembered wondering, if he truly had committed all those acts as he said, then what could have caused him to feel such sudden shame and disgust in himself that he wanted to take his life? Those thoughts had been interrupted by Takamaki-chan's anger towards him, and it was very likely that she was the only reason he hadn't at least attempted it.

After all that had happened, many of the faculty members where in disarray. Some were worried about how it would affect the schools name, others were horrified at what the student had to go through, and some few seemed simply interested in moving on, not wanting to focus on what had just happened. Sadayo had been steeped in regret as the days went on. She hadn't bothered to look into her students lives, had avoided interacting with them as much as possible, and would leave as soon as she was able to go to her side jobs. But after something that shocking, after having been witness to such a confession, it had become harder and harder to not see what was going on around her. Things that she had previously not noticed became impossible to ignore, and things that she had paid no mind to suddenly had darker significance. How injured many of the volleyball team members had looked, the way he had approached Takamaki-chan, as well as the rumors being spread about her. The drastic change in attitude in Sakamoto-kun after Kamoshida was put in charge of the track team as well, and then its eventual disbandment. As she thought back on of all the things that she hadn't paid attention to, she started to wonder if maybe Kurusu-kun and Sakamoto-kun stood up against him for similar reasons. After all it seemed to have happen right after Suzui-chan's...

"Suzui-chan..." As she remembered what she had witnessed that afternoon she gripped her arms so tightly that she could feel a jolt of pain from doing so. "I really didn't know..."

She remained like that for a while, squeezing just a little tighter as the feeling of regret and guilt slowly started to envelop her, but snapped herself out of it once she noticed the time on her phone.. "Get a hold of yourself, nothing can be done about it now."

What happened couldn't be changed, she had failed to see what was going on and acting like she would have done anything different didn't matter. In the end there was nothing she could do to help and there was no point in trying to think about it, it was hard enough to act all cheerful without having to remember things like that.

She finished getting ready, and proceeded to head the client's residence. As she left her apartment she made sure not be seen by her neighbors. While not immediately recognizable when she wore her maid outfit, she was still paranoid of getting spotted like this. Sadayo had become used to treading carefully; she had learned where to walk to avoid as many people as possible, while not risking having to go through more suspicious or dangerous routes that could lead to her running into less than savory folks.

She eventually found herself in front of the apartment, was even a couple of minutes early, she psyched herself up, then took a deep breath to get herself mentally ready before ringing the doorbell. She put on her work smile, biting back yet another sigh. It was just one more thing.

 **DING DONG**

"Good evening, I'm from the house keeping service!" The tone of her voice was much higher, and energetic. Sadayo had learned that a lot of customers preferred more cheerful and agreeable girls. If she acted normally (or even reasonably) they would complain about her dreary mood, and that would only lessen her already tiny amount of requests. So to avoid that, she tried to become someone else during her maid jobs. Becky was cheerful and eager to please. An always smiling girl who's greatest wish was to help her master relax... within limitations of course. She never enjoyed pretending to be Becky. It was very superficial and somewhat shameful. Not to mention she always came out feeling even more drained from keeping up the act. But it was necessary to maintain what little business she got.

She waited for a reply, but didn't hear much. Reaching for the door, she found it unlocked and easily opened. She was a bit nervous, but couldn't afford to waste time or alienate a potential new customer who might request her more. "Is it okay if I come in…?" She could hear voices coming from the room and went inside, removing her shoes by the door, but keeping it slightly ajar in case she needed to make a hasty exit

She followed the sounds into a small mostly empty room running into who was probably her client for the hour. "Oh, there you are!" Sadayo gave a curtsy to who would she be referring to as master for the time being. "Welcome home, Master. I'm going to fill your heart full of lovely energy. Meow!" She said as she gestured her hands as they were cat paws. "I'm Becky, and I'll have the pleasure of serving you today."

"Hello..." said her present Master as he continued to avoid facing her and scratched the back of his head.

That response allowed Sadayo to be a bit calmer of the situation ' _Must be a first-timer, he'll probably be to_ _o_ _nervous to ask anything to_ _o_ _crazy.'_ with that she continued with her introduction. "Before we start, I should explain our services to you, Master! Our basics include cooking, cleaning, laundry…" Then a look of displeasure showed itself briefly in her face, allowed to her only because her Master as yet to face her. Still, she forced her work smile once more as she proceeded to move a little bit closer. "But there are other 'services' that we can provide if you desire." She said in a much more teasing tone as she leaned forward while placing her arms behind her.

As she came closer she notice that her client looked younger than she had been used to, or at least she thought he did as he continue to avoid eye contact. "My, you look quite young, Master. Are you… perhaps… in High School?" she said as she tilted her head with a coy smile.

"Yeah, you would be correct" he chuckled, responding without a second thought.

"Oh, Master, you're sooo Funny!" she giggled hoping that's all it was. But the awkward silence after her comment stretched on, all but shouting his guilt. _'Don't tell me...'_ "You are joking, right?" Her master's shaking head gave her the final confirmation and suddenly a cold shiver went down her spine. _'Shoot, I need to leave as soon as I can.'_

Sadayo started to panic, grabbing both her arms as if she wanted to curl up. It was bad enough that a high school student called her, what if he was from Shujin? What if he recognized her!? Luckily the boy hadn't gotten a good look at her and still seemed reluctant to recognized her? All she needs to do now it's take her leave. "I think I'll hold off on those other "services" until you've matured a bit, Master." She proceeds to take a few steps backs, she did her best to be Becky, despite a growing urge to run before she was caught out. "Sooo. I think I'll be going then." She gave one final curtsy and was about to turn around towards the door when suddenly.

"Wh-what!? No!"

"Quiet...!"

Sadayo jumped at the sudden voices from beyond the door, and she rushed towards it. "I-Is someone there!?" That would be all she needed, someone to have followed her.

"Shit! Run, Mishima!"

"Hey! Don't leave me behind!"

"Mishima? Sakamoto-kun? She recognized Ryuji's loud voice calling out Mishima. That meant they where definitely from Shujin. _'W_ _-w_ _ait, haven't Sakamoto-kun and Mishima_ _-kun_ _hanging out a lot with...'_ And with that realization she turned around, finally managing to focus through the exhaustion, though dreading to find out who the mysterious third person was. "And you..."

With the other two gone, she was left facing the worst possible student to find out about her maid job. Peering at her from behind his glasses as he gazed at her with a slightly confused look, head tilted to the side, was Akira Kurusu. This was so far **beyond** one more thing.

' _Why did it have to be him...?'_


	2. Chapter 1

**I'm happy to see that the prologue caught enought people's interest, and I hope that all of you will continue to stay and enjoy the rest. Thank you for the kind words.**

 **EDIT: This chapter has been updated as of 08/25/2018. Thanks goes again to Chessicfayth for their help.**

 **I do not own these characters, they belong to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

As the two stood facing each other, you could almost hear how many thoughts were racing through their minds.

Sadayo began to panic. Not only was the customer a high school student, he was from Shujin. Not only was he from Shujin, but he was also her new problem student, Akira Kurusu! Then there was also the fact that she had heard Mishima and Ryuji, and they would certainly ask Akira about what he had seen.

' _Was I set up? Did someone hear about what I was doing!?'_ Her thoughts turned to Ms. Chouno and her probing questions about her always having to leave school early. Had she put Akira up to finding out what she had been doing? As all these questions surged through her head she came to a decision. She needed to take control of the situation. She had to find a way to stop him from spilling the beans.

Oblivious to the dilemma of the of the apartment's only other occupant (Thanks, Ryuji), Akira stood there in confusion, trying to figure out what was going on. The woman dressed as a maid in front of him seemed to know not only Mishima and Ryuji, but him as well, and was staring at him with a horrified look. He was about to put the sense of familiarity down to her expression (one he'd become accustomed to at school), when his train of thought was interrupted. Her previously cheerful demeanor was now gone, replaced with a very stern tone.

"Did you specifically ask for me? How did you find out about my job?" Sadayo went on the offensive. She needed to find out who was behind this, and quickly. "It's got to be Ms. Chouno! It is, isn't it? Did she put you up to this?"

"What are you talking about?" Akira was caught off guard at the maid's sudden aggression, and her sudden flurry of questions, but one thing caught his attention. She was asking about one of his teachers at school. Suddenly, everything started to click into place. Her knowing Ryuji, Mishima and Ms. Chouno. The color and look of her hair, even in a wildly different style. And that accusing tone that he had been tuning out more and more since he came to Shujin.

His eyes widened as he came to the realization. "Wait… are you?"

The color drained out of Sadayo's face as she realized Akira had only just figured out who she was. He had honestly had no idea what she was talking about. She could have ended this by simply turning around and leaving, but, of course, she had messed things up by pressing too early. It was just one more thing.

As if she was trying to hide the fact that she had just attempted to interrogate him, she immediately turned to her Becky persona. "Oh... oh no! Clearly you must be mistaken, there is no way you would know me." She slowly steps away. "After all, this is our first time meeting. Yes, first time ever, Master." While Becky smiled, Sadayo was desperately trying to find a way out of this mess she had gotten herself into…"Anyway, I should really leave." She started to the door, but...

"Ms. Kawakami?" As her name came from his lips, the world seemed to freeze, then fall out from beneath her. "It _is_ you, isn't it?" Akira looked closer at the now frozen maid, waiting to hear her response.

"I can't believe this happened..." Sadayo took a deep breath and turn around to face her student for a second before looking away in shame. "Yes… it's me... your homeroom teacher…."

' _I'm done. I got found by a student, and now the rest of the school will find out.'_ She was just starting to lose herself in all the ways this could end horribly, when suddenly those thoughts were interrupted by the sound of laughter. She turned her sights towards Akira, who seemed to find the situation quite amusing. "Hey! What's so funny?!" Sadayo demanded, getting flustered at him not taking the situation seriously. She was surprised at his reaction she briefly forgot her exhaustion. "This is not a laughing matter you know!"

"I'm sorry, this must be such an inconvenience to you." He let sarcasm drip heavy into his tone. He still remembered the way she had treated him during his first visit to Shujin...

 _He was standing in the principal's office. Next to him was Sojiro Sakura, the person in charge of him during his probation. In front of them was Principal Kobayakawa, and a woman who clearly was not happy with something, and was introduced as his homeroom teacher._

" _I'm Sadayo Kawakami. Here is your student ID." As she dropped it on the table in front of him, keeping her distance. "Be sure to read the school regulations, as any violation will get you sent straight to the guidance counselor. And if by_ _ **ANY**_ _chance you cause_ _ **ANY**_ _problems, I won't be able to protect you at all." She turned to the Principal wanting confirmation. "That_ _ **IS**_ _your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?"_

 _The tone of her voice wasn't one of concern or worry, but one of pure dismissal. She wanted nothing to do with him. The look his new teacher gave him as she said this didn't help. Her gaze had been one of scorn and disgust, one he had been seeing ever since he had first been convicted of assault. People would keep their distance, talking behind his back, and sometimes even to his face. They all saw him as disposable, someone who everyone would be better off without. Much to his surprise, it seemed that Sojiro, who had only shown annoyance to Akira so far, seemed upset with how the school seemed to be treating him. If he didn't know better, he might say the older man was concerned._

Sadly his bad luck hadn't stopped there, as on his first day, Akira ended up accidentally entering into what he now knew as the Metaverse. Even though he had been able to escape with Ryuji, it caused them both to be half a day late. As he finally arrived at the Teacher's Lounge, and was greeted with an annoyed Kawakami.

" _Seriously…? Your half a day late, and on your first day even. You were specifically warned about your situation, so take some responsibility for your actions. Do you know how much of an inconvenience this is to me?!" She said with a look of disgust on her face as she tapped her foot, clearly tired of waiting for his arrival._

" _I'm sorry. I just moved here, and it was my first time coming to school through train system. I ended up on the wrong one and got lost." He apologized, bowing to the irate teacher._

 _While he made himself sound humble, he was frustrated at having been chewed out right off the bat. Sadly, even Akira himself didn't fully understand what had happened, and thus couldn't explain it without sounding any more crazy than they probably already thought him._

 _Ms. Kawakami just stared at him with a look of disbelief,. "Even if that's true, you're still far too late to be considered reasonable." She pressed the space between her eyes as though she felt a headache starting. "More importantly...I heard you were caught with that Sakamoto-kun"_

" _THAT Sakomoto-kun...?" Akira narrowed his eyes at the tone she used to refer to the guy who, just a short while ago, had risked his life trying to help Akira get away._

 _Sadayo gave a sigh "Just don't get involved with him, OK? Especially if you want to get through your probation. He's nothing but trouble." She looked down as she added as though talking to herself, "He didn't always use to be like that though… Whatever, I'll just introduce you during next period and just get it over with." She stood up and signaled him to follow her, before stopping and turning back to him. "Oh, and one more thing. Be serious when you introduce yourself to the others, even if you have to lie about it. If word about what you did spreads, it'll be troublesome for me." she said as she gestured to herself. "Just think about how your actions affect others alright?"_

In the end her concern had only been about how his situation would make her life harder. Unfortunately for both of them, his criminal record had somehow already spread all around the school, leading to her constantly reminding him to not doing anything that would inconvenience her.

He couldn't help it. Having discovered that his teacher, the one who had been continuously harassing him to not cause any trouble for her, had been moonlighting as a maid. And Akira had been the one to catch her. He couldn't help but find the situation hilarious.

At his teacher's question, Akira was able to recover his composure. Taking a few deep breaths, he responded to his now flustered teacher. "So, what's this about Ms. Chouno?"

The idea he wasn't looking for her intentionally seemed to help. "That harpy has been getting on everyone's case ever since the Kamoshida incident." She was starting to calm down, leaning to the side with one hand on her hip. It was a pose Akira had gotten used to seeing, the one she used whenever she would lecture him of his situation at school. Seeing her now, speaking in her usual tone, all the while wearing a very cute maid outfit? It was nothing less than bizarre. "Are you planning to tell her about this?"

"What do you mean?" Akira asked with a smirk. "Wouldn't that be a problem for you?" He didn't have any real intentions of ratting her out or blackmailing her. While her attitude towards him was annoying, he didn't hate her, and he himself had seen his fair share of horrible human beings. Enough to know that he didn't want to go that route. Still, that wouldn't stop him from messing with her a bit, if only to burn off some of the frustration that had built up since his arrival to Tokyo.

Sadayo pouted, noticing the clear sarcastic tone of his voice. "If your going to side with someone, side with me, I'm your homeroom teacher after all. And if you promise not to tell Ms. Chouno about this, I'll do anything for you!"

"Anything…?" Akira gave a devilish smile, one he usually only wore as Joker, and placed his hand on his chin. "And what does anything entail…?" He leaned forward to be face to face with his shorter teacher, calling her on what he believed was a bluff, wanting to see who would give in first.

Sadly for him, Sadayo wasn't seeing it as a game, and after noticing that persuasive negotiations weren't working fast enough, took a more aggressive approach.

"Hey! This won't look good for you either!" She moved close to him, poking at his chest to prove a point. "What do you think will happen if they find out you called a maid service? You have just as much to lose from this as I do." She looked around at the empty room they had been talking in. "I mean, this isn't even where you live, so clearly you were trying to hide who you guys were. At least you thought that far ahead."

Akira backed away with a sigh as he rubbed the spot on his abused chest. "Fine, fine, I'll keep quiet." ' _Guess fun time is over_ '. "I promise I won't say anything about this."

"That includes to Mishima-kun and Sakamoto-kun." She didn't let up, wanting to cover all her bases. "I know they're going to be asking about what happened. Don't even think about giving them a hint."

"Very well, I promise I won't tell anyone about what was seen here." Akira agreed as he looked away. He _had_ considered telling Ryuji. Knowing how he and Ms. Kawakami had their own share of arguments, he would have found it just as amusing. Akira wouldn't violate a promise though, so it looked like it would remain his personal secret.

Finally satisfied with his response, Kawakami backed away. "Very well, I'll just treat this as if you canceled so you won't have to pay for it, okay? On that note, I'll be taking my leave..." She gave Akira a glare before walking away, stopping to turn her heads towards him one more time. "Remember, this never happened. No mention of this in school." With those final words she went out the door, leaving Akira alone in an empty apartment.

* * *

Akira was exhausted after the experience, and went back home. As he put his bag down and sat on his bed, Morgana slipped out of the bag and sat next to him. "You seemed quite amused by the whole situation."

"I admit, I might have been bit meaner than I intended, but it was fun while it lasted. And I did promise to keep it a secret." Akira turned his head to face his feline companion, his index finger placed to his lips. "So I would appreciate if you didn't tell anyone about it either. I know you didn't make the promise, but it would cause me some problems if the others found out. And with the school president following us around, we don't need any of this getting out of hand."

"I'll think it over Joker…" Morgana leaped up to the window, clearly planning to take a walk as he turned back to look to Akira. "If you get me something tasty to eat."

"Who's the one being mean now, huh?" He shook his head at Morgana's response.

The cat seemed to smirk at him. "I learned it from you after all." With that said, he went off, giving his strange, cat like chuckle.

Akira sighed as he started getting ready for bed, changing into his sleep wear when suddenly his phone rang. As he went to answer he saw it was Ryuji calling. Akira picked up the phone, already knowing what the conversation would be about.

"Hey, It's me… Sorry about ditching you over there like that, especially since it was my idea."

"Don't worry about it." Akira figured that was part of the reason why Ryuji was calling, and could hear his genuine regret in abandoning him. "In the end I didn't get in trouble and even avoided having to pay."

"Still, that was a shitty thing for me to do, I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Akira chuckled at his friend's insistence of making it right. "Just no more maid watching, okay?"

"Sorry, can't promise that." Akira could hear Ryuji's mood change to his usually energetic self. "Soooo…. how was she?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know, the maid that showed up, what did she look like?!" Ryuji clearly wanted the details on what he had missed, more curious now that he knew his best friend wasn't holding a grudge.

"Not sure, didn't really get a good look at her, I was too focused on getting out of that situation." Akira lied, trying to avoid the rest of the blonde's questions.

"Come on, can you at least tell me if she was cute."

Akira dropped in his bed, trying to find an answer that would satisfy his friend on the phone without giving the game away. He thought back on all of his encounters with Kawakami beyond tonight. He had never paid too much attention to her, honestly wanting to avoid her in general. He thought of seeing her in that maid outfit, and her flustered appearance when she got found out. The pout she had given him as he teased her, her face heating up as she had argued with him. She seemed to have much more energy tonight than he had was used to seeing from her at school. She had clearly been upset with him, but it was so much more a lively and expressive woman than the tired teacher he saw everyday, and he had to admit to himself that it only made him want to tease her more.

"Yeah…. She was definitely cute."


	3. Chapter 2

**So this chapter almost ended up being as long as the previous two put together. Whether this is because I'm getting better at writing or just a in the moment thing is yet to be seen.**

 **For those of you who that came on Mizutanitony's recommendation, I hope that you enjoy the fic, and to Mizutanitony himself, thanks for the Shout Out.**

 **The characters in this story don't belong to me, but to atlus.**

 **EDIT: This chapter has been updated since 9/9/18. Thanks again to Chessicfayth for all your help.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Last night's encounter had left Sadayo feeling mentally exhausted. For the rest of the night she had worried about what Kurusu-kun would do. Even though he had promised not to say anything (and she had made sure to explain that him saying anything would be detrimental to both of them), she wasn't completely sure he wouldn't risk it just to spite her. It had caused her precious few hours sleep to be reduced even further, and for most of the school day she had a hard time focusing. She did manage to take a small nap in the teacher's lounge during her break, but was woken up all too soon by another faculty member so she could get back to teaching.

As school ended, she was more than ready to leave and get some desperately needed rest before her busy evening. So of course, on her way out of the main hall, she ran into a determined Ms. Chouno.

"Leaving already?" the English teacher asked, an eyebrow raised, implications hanging in the air.

"Hey… sorry, but I'm feeling tired today. Is it okay if we do this another time?" Sadayo was not in the mood nor coherent enough to deal with her nosy co-worker right now, and wanted to get out of the conversation as soon as possible.

"You know what position we're in, right?" Ms. Chouno said putting the pressure on as she leaned in closer to Sadayo. "We already had a number of scandals. All of us are going to be questioned, and that includes you!"

"The thing is..." Sadayo turned her head, trying to avoid eye contact. "I have other business to attend to, and I need some time to rest. So, if you'll excuse me..."

"We aren't done here!" Ms. Chouno did not let up, moving even closer while pointing her finger at her. "You are always the first to leave, and you barely show up to the Faculty meetings! So tell me, what is this "business" that you have to deal with?"

"That's…. Um" Sadayo backed away. She was too tired to keep thinking up new excuses, and Ms Chouno's constant questioning was putting her in a corner.

While all of this was happening Akira and Morgana were eavesdropping on the conversation. He had been planning to head out and meet up with Ryuji, Ann and Yusuke at the hideout, but was curious about what the two teachers were arguing about. Especially after what he had learned the night before.

"Wow, she wasn't kidding about Ms. Chouno grilling the other teachers." Morgana remarked as he popped his head out of Akira's bag. "What are you thinking?"

"We have enough on our plate to deal with as it is Mona. Sad as it is, whatever problem those teachers have is none of our concern. They let it get to this point, so they should deal with it." Akira turned to walk away from the scene. " Besides, she's always telling me about how I shouldn't be such an inconvenience to her. I thinks it's only fair that she should do the same herself."

"If you say so Joker." Morgana replied as he slipped back into his bag.

Akira proceeded to head out the gate, but couldn't help looking back one more time. What he saw caused him to pause. Sadayo looked nervous, frightened, and alone. Akira was always someone who couldn't leave people in trouble. It was a character flaw. It was what had gotten him into this mess when he had tried to help that lady from the drunkard, but it was also what had allowed him to give Ann someone to talk to and become good friends. That same desire to help other was ringing in his head.

With a sigh Akira turned around and walked up to the two teachers. "Ms. Kawakami, I have another question, if you can help me?"

"Another question?!" both teachers responded in confusion, though for different reasons.

"Oh, Ms. Chouno, my apologies if I interrupted something" Akira said with what looked like honest expression on his face.

"Ms. Kawakami, what is he talking about?" Chouno turned to Sadayo, momentarily deterred from her questioning.

"I-I..." Sadayo was just as confused, and didn't know how to respond. Fortunately for her, Akira quickly took control of the situation

"I was having difficulty getting used to classes, since it has been quite different from my last school. Ms. Kawakami has been helping me by answering some of my questions after class. It's been a big help." Akira said with a polite smile.

"Th-That's right!" Sadayo, having finally caught up. "Kurusu-kun's questions are very complicated, so I take time at night to help him..."

Ms. Chouno seemed to contemplate what Akira and Sadayo had told her as she looked at both of them. "It is true that you've been doing quite well in classes." as she turns turns to Sadayo with a curious look. "So you've been giving extra lessons outside school hours, hmm?"

"She's been a big help, I owe her a lot." Akira added, his smile widening slightly.

Ms. Chouno nods at Akira's confirmation "I'm always happy to see students dedicated to their studies." As she turns to Sadayo, her stern expression morphs into a wide smile. "It seems you have a lot more passion for teaching than I realized. That's great to hear! A passionate teacher is what we need in this school right now. Excelente!" Ms. Chouno gives an apologetic bow to Sadayo "I'm sorry I suspected you. Well then, keep up the good work you two." and with that she turns to leave.

As she does Akira waves goodbye, his innocent smile transforming into his signature cocky grin. "Well, that went better than I expected.?"

Sadayo just looked in disbelief as his face quickly went from the quiet, absent minded student to the mischievous person she had run into the night before and sighed. "You have a twisted personality don't you? It is kind of scary how easily you can hide it."

"I come all the way back up here to help you out, and this is what I get?" Akira questioned with a nonchalant shrug as he shook his head. "Anyway, if you're done with your observations I'll be heading out now."

"Hold on!" Sadayo exclaimed, stopping Akira from leaving. She took a deep breath before continuing. "You're right, I'm sorry for my comment, and you helped me out a lot, so-" She was interrupted by Akira raising his hand in front of her, cutting her off as he looked around.

Akira had noticed the Student Council president had recently taken to following him around every once in a while. Wanting to make sure anything discussed didn't find her ears, he made sure that she wasn't hiding around the corner. As he turned, he saw Sadayo writing in a piece of paper some information.

"You seem worried about someone hearing us, so we can't talk here." She said in a quiet voice as she handed him the piece of paper. "Here is the address and number to my night job. Please call and request me next Friday and we can continue talking at a later point."

"So it will cost me for our talk to continue?" Akira was a bit annoyed at the prospect of having to pay.

"It can't be avoided. If you wish this discussion to continue request me, we'll have talk then." She paused, unsure of herself for a moment. "Anyway guess I should head out, get home safely Kurusu-kun."

As Sadayo took her leave Akira stood there considering his options. When he heard a familiar chuckle coming from his bag.

"I thought you said it was none of your business. You really are a softy, aren't you?" Morgana teased as he popped his head out of the bag once again.

"Oh, will you still think that if I lock you out of Leblanc tonight?" Akira responded with a hint of playfulness.

"You know I could pick the doors lock and let myself in easily. So... are you going to call her?"

"I have until next Friday right? I'll think it over." Akira pocketed the note and proceeded to leave the school. "I'm curious about what exactly she wants to talk about."

"What a week..." Sadayo fell on her couch, exhausted as she looked out the window.

It had been a couple of days since she gave Akira her work information, and tonight would be the night if he was going to call. Since then they really hadn't had contact outside of their regular interactions in class, with her asking and him answering the occasional study-related question. Not a hint of that devious personality showed during those days, only the quiet transfer student that caused a wave of rumors to swirl about him as he walked the halls. Much to Sadayo's confusion.

' _They really gave me a problem student didn't they...'_

Sadayo gave a deep sigh as she wondered what's going to happen during the rest of the school year. For the past few days she had been observing him, worried that he would be plotting something. In the process she noticed how Ryuji, Mishima and even Ann all seemed to have gathered around him. ' _I told him to avoid Sakamoto-kun, but by the looks of it the two seem to get along very well. Akira even seems to be calming him down a bit._ That was a wonder in and of itself. _Actually, now that I think about it, I remember seeing them in the courtyard that one evening. Sakamoto-kun looked like he'd been beat_ _en_ _up, but he and Kurusu-kun seemed to be happily laughing together. For just a moment, he looked just like he used to when he was still in the track team. Not only that, but he and Takamaki-chan seem to getting along as well. She smiles a lot more around him, and she seems to be handling things well.'_ Thinking of Takamaki inevitably brought her thoughts back to the school's recent scandal. ' _It's honestly kind of surprising, especially after what she went through with….'_

" _WAIT!"_

With that, she sat up from her couch as a sudden realization came to her, pieces that she had either forgotten or ignored started fitting into place. "The track team was disbanded after Kamoshida said that Sakamoto-kun had attacked him." Sadayo spoke aloud to herself, trying to keep her thoughts in order. "But now that I think about it, Sakamoto-kun was badly beaten, while Kamoshida seemed unharmed. Didn't they say something about his leg being broken? Wouldn't breaking his leg be going too far, even for self defense? Why didn't any of us question that sooner? Why didn't the others say anything?! And the things he said about Takamaki-chan and Suzui-chan..." Sadayo eyes widened at this realization. "Didn't Kamoshida say that he was expelling Kurusu-kun and the other because they tried to strike at him? But when he confessed everything he even admitted to doing so just cause they confronted him." Sadayo ran her hand through her hair trying to make sense of what seemed to be wildly opposite behaviors from her new transfer.

All this information just caused Sadayo to fall on the couch once more with her hand covering her face as she groaned in frustration "Argh, seriously?! Did he even do anything wrong? So all he did was confront him, probably cause of what had happened to his friends and he almost got expelled! Everyone at school says his this violent person that would snap at any moment, but the person I saw that night acted much too relaxed and conniving to be so short-fused, but if he is so conniving then why did he put himself at risk of getting expelled? Which is the really him?!" As the frustration dwindled Sadayo was left with the realization on how little she knew about him. "I wonder… He's a problem, but he still doesn't seem like the kind of kid that would be violent."

It wasn't just him though. While remembering past events, it truly became apparent to her just how little she knew. About the happenings at school, or the student. "If all of that is true, then it's no wonder Sakamoto-kun is the way he is. Who would listen to a teacher that simply yelled at him when he was in trouble. And I'm sure Takamaki-chan and Suzui-chan will feel the same way…" The weight of those failures only piled on top of her existing ones, a reminder of her past mistakes and more confirmation about what she already knew.

"I… really am a failure of a teacher aren't I…?" It was just one more thing...

Her thoughts were broken up as her phone rang. She looked at the number and saw it was her night job, they always transferred any customer that requested her to her phone, it made it safer since it meant none of them knew her personal number. As she prepared herself mentally she picked up the phone, forcing a smile and cheerful tone.

"Hiiii, this is Becky-"

"Are you available to continue our talk…? Becky?" She could hear the mocking smirk in the way he said her maid name.

"…. Oh, it's you." That tone on the other end could belong only to the person she was just thinking about. With that realization, her chipper tone was replaced with her usual voice. "Just so you know the call and request fee will add up to 5,000 yen. Are you sure you really want to do this?" Part of her was hoping that the cost would persuade him from continuing this further. It was bad enough that he had found out about her, but being requested by a student definitely didn't help her situation either. Sadly, she still didn't have enough for this week's payment, so she was willing to meet up with her problem student if it meant getting the money.

"Sure thing, I'll make the payment then."

She was taken back at how easily he was okay with spending that much, but she was the one that gave him the note and told him request her. "Very well, I'll be there as soon as I can..." Sadayo responded after taking a deep breath.

"Very well, See you then."

And with that the phone hung up. As she checked and saw the payment being confirmed. She just laid there and realized the absurdity of her situation. A student of hers had just requested her at her night job…. "Arggh! Seriously, what is with that kid?!"

Sadayo arrived what seemed to be his living location. She was quite surprised that the address turned out to be a coffee shop and not Sakura-san's house. She was also surprised to find that it wasn't that far off from her apartment complex. She knocked at the door and was greeted by Akira.

"Come in."

As Sadayo entered the coffee shop she took in her surroundings. The shop was very old fashioned, from the stools near the counter with the coffee siphons, to the shelves filled with many different kinds of coffee beans, letting their aroma filled the store. It seemed like a nice place to relax, though relaxing would mean having free time…

"So, this is where you live?"

Akira close the door and turned to the maid in front of him "Well, my room is actually upstairs." he moved past her, waving her to follow him. "This way."

As they went up, Sadayo saw where her student has been staying since he came here. It looked like an attic. In the corner was a twin size mattress with just an old sheet placed on top like a tablecloth. While there was a lot of space, it just felt empty. Most of the shelves were filled with seemingly discarded objects; only the one next to the bed seemed organized, but it too was mostly empty, with nothing but a ramen bowl on display. Akira proceed to sit on what seemed to be an extra bench like the ones downstairs.

"So this is your room..." Sadayo wasn't expecting this to be his living arrangement and was honestly shocked. "How do I put this…"

Akira chuckled as his teacher hesitated to comment at the state of his room and shrugged. "I know it's not much, but I make do, and I'm used to it by now. With this much space I'm able to customize things a bit and make it my own. I was even able to get a TV and DVD player from the second hand store on the corner recently." as he pointed to an insanely old television by the table next to the bench.

She didn't understand why he would be taking all of this so easily. She'd would have expected him to be upset, hating his living arrangement, and yet here he was making light of his situation. All she could do is look at her curious student and ask. "What kind of kid are you…? Really?"

"What do you mean by that?" looked at her with a puzzled look.

"When you're in school, you just keep your head down. You're not the most attentive in class, but you seem to be smart enough to answer correctly and pass your tests. You don't cause a disruption in class, and honestly, besides the incident with Kamoshida, I haven't heard anything about you causing any real problems with the other teachers." Her lips twitched slightly as she remembered a comment from one of her co-workers. "Though Mr. Ushimaru certainly wishes you'd pay more obvious attention." She'd heard about the dodge that had been the talk of several students that day.

Akira eyes narrowed, facing downward as she mentioned Kamoshida. He leaned forward placing his head on top of his hands with his fingers intertwined. "I had my reasons..."

"You did it because of what he was doing to your friends didn't you?" she asked softly.

Akira looked up at her, a surprised look in his face. During his time in Shujin he'd gotten used to people attributing the worst to him, and he figured that it would be the same when he, Ryuji, and Mishima confronted Kamoshida.

"The incident with the track team and Sakamoto-kun's injury... The rumors about Takamaki-chan, Mishima-kun's physical state and even what happened to Suzui-chan..." Sadayo took a deep breath as the feeling of guilt crept around her, once more having to confirm the kind of situation the students at school had to suffer through. A situation she had no knowledge of, mostly because of her own actions. "You saw how those you were becoming close were being treated, and wanted to do something. That takes courage, even if it was reckless, considering you're already on thin ice. It shows you're loyal to those you care about, and that you are willing to put yourself on the line for them. It's quite admirable, your willingness to do the right thing."

Akira could only chuckle at what he was hearing. "I never expected to be given a compliment by my teacher while she wore a maid outfit."

"But.." As Sadayo raised her finger at him to show her disapproval. "That still doesn't change the fact that you guys called a maid service, and you even requested me tonight." She crossed her arms as she continued. "Not to mention that you clearly are a troublemaker with a cocky attitude, considering how you behaved when you found out about me. And how easily you were able to lie to Ms. Chouno. Seriously, the way you normally act at school is completely different!"

Akira could only shake his head as he heard her complaint. "Sadly, I have to keep that appearance at school. It's bad enough with rumors about me spreading like wildfire since the first day. Any sign of frustration and people escalate it to absurd degrees. Some people still think me and Ryuji threatened Kamoshida into confessing, after all. The staff aren't any better either." Sadayo looked down as he took off his glasses and showed them to Sadayo. "These aren't even prescription, they're just fakes. I wear them so I look more like a model student." Akira seem cool headed, but his tone of voice dripped with venom as he remembered how he was treated, and everything he had to deal with since the first few days of arriving in Tokyo.

"All of that because of the criminal record you have on you." Sadayo responded with a sad look on her face. "Was that situation also because you did the right thing?"

Akira's frustration dissipated. He was flabbergasted to hear Sadayo not mention his record with annoyance as she usually did at school, but with sadness and wanting to hear his side of things."Oh, uhm...I guess," he answered, as he scratched the back of his neck. "Not like it would matter."

"It must be hard not having a place where you belong…Hey..." Akira turned as Sadayo called for his attention, her word sounding like they came from experience."I said I would return the favor if you helped me out right. So how about I let you skip class from time to time? Would that help you out?"

Akira was a bit surprised at her offer. "Are you sure that's okay for a teacher to do?" he responded while he messed with his hair.

"But-" Sadayo pointed her finger at him as she continue. "I reserve the option of changing my mind if your grades begin to suffer, got it?" Sadayo for the first time gave him a smirk of her own "After all, I can't have you failing if I'm helping you with your questions, right? And in return, you won't tell anyone about me moonlighting as a maid. Do we have a deal?"

Akira chuckled at her remark. "So you're going to use the lie I made up Ms. Chouno to your advantage? And I'm the sly one?"

"You're the one that put me in that position. If you don't keep it up, suspicions is going to come my way again." Sadayo said acting as a teacher scolding her student who made a terrible excuse for not handing out his homework, only to follow with a wink and a pose fitting of someone dressed like a maid. "So you better not slack off on your studies, Master. 3"

Akira could only laugh as Sadayo once again surprised him. He was quite impressed that she was able to keep up with him, and even throw him for a loop at times. She was definitely smart, he'd give her that. "With reasons like that how can I argue." Akira replied as he shrugged nonchalantly, before nodding. "Okay, It's a promise."

Sadayo returned his nod one one of her own "Then it's a deal." With that out of the way Sadayo gave deep sigh and a look of shame as her hands grabbed both her her arms, realizing the situation she ended up getting herself into ' _Still... What am I doing with one of my students like this...'_

"Everything alright…?" Akira asked with a perplexed look in his face as he saw his teacher's appearance change from someone with such confidence to one full of regret.

Sadayo shook her head, trying to not think of the situation to hard. "It's fine… Anyway I should be heading out now." She looked around the room, while wasn't littered with trash or clothing, it was definitely filled with dust and wasn't maintained that much. ' _He says he's used to it, but I'm guessing he doesn't spend much time here.'_ Sadayo turned her gaze back to Akira. "One more thing. Feel free to request me if you need any help with housework, okay?"

"Why…?" Akira raised and eyebrow at Sadayo's additional offer.

"I mean... we both know each other's secret, and after seeing your place it would put my mind at ease… and my place isn't that far off so it wouldn't take me long."

Akira shook his head at her belief that she knew his secret. ' _Sorry, but you're nowhere close to knowing the kind of secrets I have. I'd probably be in much bigger trouble if you did.'_ What Sadayo said seemed sincere, that after seeing Akira's state of housing, it was hard for her to ignore the situation he was in. But she wasn't telling the whole truth, and Akira knew it, so he inquired a bit more.

"I thought it would be bad for a high school student to call a maid service?" He retorted as he, leaned forward with elbows against his legs and head resting on his forearms. "What brought this change?"

"Well… I'm uh..." Sadayo grabbed hold of both arms as she looked away, ashamed that she had to admit this. "The truth is… I'm considered over the hill for this kind of job, so I don't get requested that often..."

Akira was surprised by this. While the straight pigtails were an odd choice considering how her hair usually was, she was still quite attractive. "Very well, I'll take it into consideration." He said with a smile as he crossed his arms, leaning back once more. "I tend to be very busy, so the help would be appreciated."

Sadayo returned his smile with one of her own, grateful that he had humored her request. "Thanks… And I'll show my appreciation by making it easier for you to slack off in class. Anyway I should head out for now. Thank you for using our service." Sadayo gave a curtsy and with that left for the night.

Akira got ready to call it a night when Morgana came from the window. His feline friend had gone for a stroll while he and Sadayo talked and had just returned. Akira finished up getting ready and sat on the bed, Morgana taking a seat next to him.

"So how did it go?" Morgana asked, curious to why Akira had decided to call her.

Akira leaned to his side, resting his head on one of his left hand as he faced Morgana. "We made a deal... I don't mention anything about her being a maid, and she will let me get some free time during class."

"That could definitely help us out. We could use some extra prep time." Morgana said with perked ear.

"Or I can use it to study a bit more. She gave the condition that if I start failing, then the deal is off."

"Well it's probably for the best if you keep the image of a good student… Either way it will open us up a bit more."

Akira slumped down the bed as he look toward the ceiling. While the prospect of slacking off in class was inviting, he was more intrigued by the fact that she had asked him to request her again. He had to admit that had enjoyed their talk tonight. He kept finding himself surprised by her, surprised that he wanted to continue talking with her. Especially after tonight... He wasn't expecting to her to be sympathetic, particularly after those looks of disdain she had kept giving him. He found it odd. She seemed smart enough to understand and connect the dots about what had happened between him and Kamoshida, but then why didn't she notice it before, or notice when Ryuji got injured? He was surprised to admit it, but he seemed to find his teacher a very mysterious individual and was quite intrigued by her.

"Is there something on your mind?" Morgana asked as he walked on top of Akira, looking at him face to face.

Akira turned his head to avert Mona's gaze. "Nothing much, just thinking that this place could use some cleaning."


	4. Chapter 3

**These character aren't mine and belong to Atlus.**

 **EDIT: This chapter has been edited since of 10/2/2018. Thanks again to Chessicfayth for all their help.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Akira wasn't really sure what he was expecting when he requested his teacher. In a way that was partly the reason he had decided to request her the night after their talk. Would she arrive playing her "Becky" act and do some house chores, or would she arrive with an utterly confused look as she tried to get him to explain himself? Either way it would be quite entertaining.

What he wasn't expecting was having his teacher asleep in his bed.

It started that evening. Dr. Takemi had done a number on his body to make sure she could finish the medicine for Miwa-chan, and it left him too drained to go out that night. As he walked into Leblanc Sojiro gave him a look. "You look dead kid."

Akira could just give a tired smile as he scratched his head. "I got asked to be on clean up duty today after class. Had to do a lot of heavy lifting, so I'm a bit winded."

Sojiro just shook his head. "Just as long as you're not getting into trouble. But don't overdo it or you'll end up hurting yourself. If you get injured, it will make it a real pain to have you working your shift."

"Sure thing Boss." Akira was going to head upstairs when Sojiro stopped him.

"One more thing. The shop has been empty, so I'm closing early. There is some leftover curry and I rather not throw it out, so you better finish it. Hate to see good food go to waste."

Akira could only smile as as he gave Sojiro a nod.

Since his arrival at Leblanc, he had disliked the way Sojiro always talked about him. Always acting like Akira was some huge burden that he was forced to take care of, even though he was the one that decided to take him in. As time went on though, he slowly came to realize that while Sojiro's words tended to be harsh, they seemed to be more out of concern than dislike. He figured that this was all just his attempt to show some "tough love".

As Akira finished up his dinner, Morgana stared at him with a bit of a scowl. "Are we really going to just stay here and not do anything tonight? Can't we at least make some thieves' tools?"

Akira took the plate to the sink and proceeded to clean it and the pot."Honestly, after what Takemi put me through today I rather not deal with that kind of precise work." Once he was done he dried his hands with the apron as he turned to Morgana, leaning against the sink. "You're free to go out if you like. But I need some R&R from time to time."

Morgana just narrowed his eyes, but he took the hint. "Fine, I'll leave you to whatever you're up to." As he went upstairs and went out the window.

Once Morgana left, Akira went to the yellow public phone at Leblanc. Calling Victoria's Housekeeping once more he was greeted with the receptionist. After requesting for Becky he was redirected with a ring tone.

"This is Becky!"

"I'm guessing you're available for a request then?" He asked, fully knowing the answer to his questions.

For a while the phone was quiet at the other end, he could easily imagine her silent frustration with the fact that he was requesting her. Eventually Sadayo responded his question. "The fee will be the same as last time, you okay with that?"

"I'm calling aren't I?" Akira responded confidently.

"Very well, I'll be there shortly."

"The door will be unlocked, feel free to come in."

* * *

As Sadayo entered Leblanc she was treated to the sight of a studious Akira finishing up some homework assignments on one of the tables. Once he took notice of her arrival, he moved his stuff to the side and stood up.

Sadayo proceeded to give a curtsy. "Greetings! Becky is ready to do her best to brighten up Master's dreary day!" Sadayo wished she could curl up and hide in a cave. She never intended any of her students to see her behaving like this. The Becky personality that she had previously used to get through her night job now just caused her nothing but embarrassment, but she had to play the part. The last time he had called was simply to continue the discussion they had started at school, but today was the first time he requested her as a customer. "What do you wish for me to do master?

"My room is a bit dirty, so if you like we can start with that." Akira asked as he pointed upwards.

"Of course!" _...it will involve that dusty attic_. "Leave it to me, Master!" Sadayo responded with a forced smile. She noticed though that Akira was picking up his school work. "Going somewhere?

"Boss has me responsible for the shop once he heads out, so I'll be in the same room while you work" he replied as he started heading up. "I'll be just be doing some school work, so you don't have to worry. I don't plan on staring."

Sadayo was a bit surprised at his statement, though she had to admit a bit relieved. If there was something she didn't enjoy about her work it was the looks some of her 'masters' would give her from time to time. While things never went to the point where she felt in any sort of danger, there were times where she felt ashamed as she did her work. _I guess even with his mischievous nature, he can still be quite polite and respectful_. She giggled to herself as she followed. "Of course, master."

Leading her up the stairs, Akira tried to figure out why he added that last statement. _What the hell was up with me saying that? I mean, I meant what I said, but it made it sound like it was something I had considered doing.…_

He wasn't sure what had caused him to add that clarification. Was it so that she wouldn't worry and could be a bit more relaxed? Was it so that she didn't misunderstand his intentions and get the wrong impression? Either way it was probably best not to think too much about it.

As they reached the room Akira proceeded to put his stuff by the workbench and pointed to the broom by the house plant. "The broom is right over there, if you need anything else feel free to ask."

"Very well!" She proceeded grab the broom as he turned to Akira. "I love cleaning dusty rooms like these, they give me a sense of accomplishment. If master wishes it, I'll happily be covered in dust."

Akira was trying hard to keep from laughing at her acting, but simply smiled. "No need to go that far, I just needed some help with the cleaning while I finished these assignments."

"You're so kind Master. Your room might be dirty, but your heart is so clean. Anyway I should get started." With that Sadayo began sweeping the floors.

Akira proceeded to sit down and continue where he had left off. Some time passed and the only noises one could hear where the sweep of the broom, and the scribbling of the pencil. As he continued to work Akira contemplated Sadayo's act. While he had seen parts of it when he first saw her dressed as a maid, this was the first time he saw it fully play out. While it was amusing seeing his usually jaded teacher act so cheerfully, he did wonder why she did so.

He placed the pencil down as he turned toward the still sweeping Sadayo. "Hey… Ms. Kawaka-"

"That's no good master! I'm Becky, Becky! You shouldn't forget your maids name." She hastily corrected him, trying to distance herself from the person she was during the day.

"Becky then… Mind if I ask you something?"

"That depends Master. What is it you're wanting to know?"

"Why the act…? I can understand the name, you don't want people to find out about your night job so you use an alias." Akira was reminded of Morgana talking about the use of code names while in the Metaverse and figure it was a similar situation. "But why the act, the different personality?"

Sadayo flinched at the unexpected question. She took a step back, but quickly acted like nothing had changed. "W-what do you mean Master?"

Akira exhaled in frustration and continued. "I'm just curious, that's all. We're helping each other out after all, so I would like to know a bit more?"

Sadayo bit her lower lip as she tightly gripped the broom, eventually loosening a bit as he looked at Akira. "Is it okay if sit down?"

Akira nodded as she went and sat down on his bed, about the only choice considering the limited amount of seating options. It was probably easier than yelling across the room from his makeshift couch.

"You remember how I don't get requested often?"

Akira nodded once more, "Yeah, it's why you asked me to request you."

"I always got complaints. Complaints about how I'm not young enough for their liking, or that I don't smile enough, or my mood is too dreary, or I have no motivation. I was losing customers and getting requested less and less. I was already calling myself Becky so my real name wouldn't come up, so I figured why not play it off as a different person?"

Sadayo quickly changed attitudes, Plastering a big smile on her face, as began to act lot more cheerful and happy than she honestly felt. "As Becky, I'll serve my Master with a youthful vigor and a smile. I'm kind of used to it by this point, I had to after all. I mean, if I hadn't, I would have-"

Sadayo quickly catches herself as she realized she almost said too much. She shook her head as her body slumped forward slightly, using the broom for support. "Either way, I have to keep up the image of a cheerful maid so that I can continue working."

Akira thought to himself as he listened to her explanation, noting that she had skirted some topics, but decided not to push the subject. There was one thing he was sure of though.

"That may be, but don't you think it's kind of unnecessary while you're here? We already know each other, and no amount of acting is going to make me forget our previous discussions."

Sadayo avoided eye contact from Akira. "That's true, but..."

"Think of it as an addition to our deal, when I request you you don't have to force yourself to act that way, you can relax a bit."

Sadayo contemplated his offer. She disliked having having to pretend to be Becky, but it felt like she was relying a bit much on her student. In the end though, the idea of her not straining herself, having to pretend to be someone she isn't was just too tempting to ignore. "Very well, I'll agree to your terms."

Akira smiled at her response, returning to his work. "Glad to hear it. Anyway, now that it's settled, I'll-" Before he finished what he was saying he heard the a thud of what seemed to be the sound of the broom hitting the floor. He quickly turned back around to see Sadayo lying down, her head down near the foot of the bed, surprisingly close to him. Dumbfounded, it took several moments before he reacted. Turning around in his chair, resting his arms on the chair's back, now completely facing his supine teacher. "When I said for you to relax, this isn't what I had in mind."

Sadayo just lay there, running her hand over her face as she groaned. The moment that it had sunk in that she didn't have to feign interest or keep up appearances, she let her guard almost completely down. She felt much more relaxed, but in doing so permitted all the fatigue that had been building up all day to overwhelm her, her body feeling the weight as it gave in.

"Having to act that way leaves me drained. Not to mention I've been working all day. I'm not allowed to work over-time during the weekday, so I have to rush to my part-time job right after school ends." She raised her hand in the air as she counted up. "Just today I had to clean bathtubs and walk the neighborhood dogs before I came here. I have two more jobs after this, and I don't even get much rest during my off days, since I have to work on preparing quizzes and homework assignments." She finalized as her hand slumped down by the side of the bed.

Akira just sat there, surprised by the long list of jobs she was doing."That's... a surprising amount of work you have there. I have a couple of part time jobs that I do, but not one after the other."

"By the way, you have a cat?" She had turned her head up to Akira.

"Yeah…" He responded as he looked at the open window. "He tends to wander during the night. Boss lets me keep him in hopes that it will motivate me to stay in good behavior. Why do you ask?"

"It smells a bit like cat in here. I can recognize it since I tend to feed some of the strays by my apartment…" Sadayo then realized as they both looked at each other that Akira's focused gaze seemed to have drifted from his school work to her. "Hey, I know I asked you to request me, but I didn't actually expect you to do so." As she gave Akira a glare "You weren't thinking of doing anything weird with me, were you?"

Akira raised his hands in surrender, moving back a bit. "Nothing of the sort. You mentioned needing more requests so I figured I'd help."

Her eyes narrowed, but she let out a sigh, deciding she didn't have the energy to press the subject. "As long as you understand. I may be in a maid outfit but I'm still your teacher, and I try not to get too involved with my students, so..." She was interrupted as a yawn escaped her lips, the lack of sleep was finally getting to her as she felt her eyelids become heavy. "Sorry. I'm just so tired… but don't have much time for rest..." her words went silent as she feel asleep.

"W-wait a minute, are you serious?" Before Akira could even finish his protest, he was left with a sleeping maid on his bed. He slumped over on his desk, head resting on his arms as he contemplated the odd scenario that he had found himself in. How would Mishima and Ryuji react if they saw such a scene? "Well what am I supposed to do now?"

Lifting his head from his arms, Akira glanced at his teacher. He thought back to what she mentioned about the other customers not finding her appealing, and he just didn't see it. While they might have had a point about her temperament, it was a small one. As for the rest, he took another look. Personally, he found her very attractive. While very minor she had some amount of makeup applied, probably to hide the dark rings around her eyes. Even while she slept, she didn't seem peaceful, but exhausted. He had planned on immediately waking her up, but after seeing her like this…

He looked at the window as the cold night air blew against the wind chimes. "It's probably going to be a bit chilly tonight..." He stood up from his chair, gathered his blanket and proceeded to place it over Sadayo before heading downstairs.

* * *

Some time had passed when Morgana arrived back to Leblanc via the upstairs window, and was greeted with the scene of a sleeping Sadayo in Akira's bed. "Ms. Kawakami? What is she-", he stops mid-sentence as he starts picking up the scent of coffee brewing from downstairs. Heading downstairs he runs into Akira, apron in place as he finishes a cup. Morgana leaped onto one of the chairs by the counter, where he placed his front paws, and looked up at Akira. "What is going on here?! Why is Ms. Kawaka-"

"Oh, you're back." Akira interrupted his feline friend. "Can you do me a favor and wake her up?"

"Why do 'I' have to do that?" Morgana responded, annoyed that Akira seemed to be dodging his questions.

"I'm still finishing up here, and we can't go around wasting Boss's supplies can we?" Akira responded as he continued to focus on his brewing, not paying much attention to the talking cat.

Morgana wanted to argue, but for now gave up. "Fine, but you owe me an explanation!" Quickly climbing the stairs again, he hopped on the bed he began calling out out to her, even though he knew she wouldn't understand. "Ms. Kawakami! Wake Up!"

After a few repetitions, Sadayo's eyes finally open, slowly at first. "Wha… what time is-" but as soon as her eyes focused and realized where she was, stood up rapidly "I'M SORRY!" She yelled, startled, and expecting to find an annoyed Akira. Instead she was greeted by an equally startled cat. "Oh… hey little guy, sorry about that. You wouldn't be Kurusu-kun's cat would you?" She reached out her hand towards him, but stopped as she took notice of the blanket over her. "When did this..." She was once more distracted as the bitter scent had finally registered with her nose.

She looked around realizing that besides her and her new furry companion, there was no one else up here. "Where did he go? Hey do you know where your owner is?" Sadayo asked, not really expecting an answer.

Morgana signaled behind him "He's downstairs" as he ran off.

Sadayo shook her head at Morgana's response. _I must still be tired, for a moment it looked like the cat just signaled me to follow it._ With a stretch, Sadayo got up and went downstairs, finding an apron-wearing Akira pouring a steaming cup. She gave him a confused look and moved forward, noticing how the cat sat on a chair nearby. "What are you doing?"

"Getting some coffee ready for you," Akira replied as he finished pouring the cup. "I figured you needed a pick me up."

Sadayo just stood by their giving him a suspicious look. "What are you plotting…?"

"Not plots, I promise. Though if you take too long it will go cold." Akira responded as he started cleaning up the equipment.

With a sigh, Sadayo decided to take him on his offer. As she sat down she picked up one of the two cups, it's aroma was already helping her wake up. Taking a sip, she almost smiled when a warm feeling began filling her body. And maybe it was the beans he had used, the atmosphere of the shop, or perhaps it was the method used, but it seemed to calm her mind as well. "This is quite good…." she responded with a soft smile, warmth feeling her cheeks.

Akira gave a small sigh. "Not good enough for the Boss. I've yet to get anything but a backhanded compliment from him." He turned to face Sadayo, a bit of a smile showing. "Still, I'm happy you enjoyed it."

"I'm going to guess that by Boss you mean Sakura-san. Are things between the two of you okay?"

Akira joined her, picking up the other cup. "I've started helping out here from time to time. He works me hard, but he's been teaching me. It's not much, but I mean he trusts me with the shop now… So I guess that's something."

"That's good" Sadayo responded she took another sip. While she had no reason to suspect Sojiro of anything abusive, she had been worried about how the two were handling each other after finding out that Akira didn't, in fact, live at Sojiro's house, but at a storage attic in his shop. As she continued to enjoy her cup she was reminded of what had happened to her just a while ago. She looked at the person in front of her, enjoying his cup, and just couldn't understand what made him tick. "You didn't do anything while I was sleep did you?"

Akira just sighed at her accusatory tone, not phased by it. "Nope. Once I noticed you were out cold, I put the blanket over you and went to work on making the coffee."

"So that was you. Why though? Why did you let me sleep?" Sadayo was getting a bit frustrated at how easy he seemed to be taking things.

"Well I guess because you looked exhausted?" He seemed confused by her confusion over the subject. "And you did say you had more jobs after this one, so I figured you could use the rest."

Sadayo raised an eyebrow at her student's response. "You're a strange kid, you know that?" She proceeded to finish her cup, much more awake than she was a few minutes ago. "Oh, also you mentioned you work a few jobs. If you know any that pays well, let me know, okay? I mean, you must be making some decent money if you're able to request me twice in a row without flinching."

"You're looking for even _more_ jobs?" Akira had decided not to pry too much into her busy schedule, but the fact that even with how exhausted she was, she was still in search for more work? It seemed a bit much. "I might be prying a bit, but... why are you in need of so much money? Is a teacher's salary really that bad?

"Umm, no. It's not amazing, but… the thing is..." She hesitated as she toyed with the cup in front of her, deliberately looking away Akira. "I have a sick sister… Her medical bills are expensive so I do extra work to pay them."

"I'm sorry to hear that." It was Akira's turn to raise a brow as he looked at his teacher suspiciously. "Can you tell me about her condition? I know a doctor I can ask about it. I might be able to get her to help out with the treatment."

Sadayo backed away, hands waving in front of her. She wasn't expecting him to know a doctor, or to prod like he had. "N-no it's fine, I-I'm not good on the details, but the doctors working on her are specialists, s-so I'm sure it's way past the point for general doctor." Sadayo could not even look at her student as her story became all the more elaborate.

 _That confirms it, she's lying._ Akira, always curious, wanted to poke a bit more. What could she be hiding? Still, he felt doing so at the moment would only cause her to distance herself. If he really wanted to find out, he'd have to let it go for now. He shook his head as he placed his hands in his pocket. "I see… well if that's so I'll request you some more. Will that help?"

"W-what? Are you sure?" Sadayo eyes widened at his offer.

"Sure." Akira responded with a smile on his face. If he wanted to find out the truth (and he really did), he would have to continue talking to her. And considering how things were at school, this was the easiest way to do so. "If it helps with your sister's treatment, I'm happy to help out."

"Sure, that would be a big help." Sadayo was smiling excitedly at his offer, but it suddenly caused her stomach to turn as she fully realized what she was asking of him. She quickly turned away as she grabbed hold of both her arms. "No wait… I shouldn't. If I owe money to a student, it would be the worst..."

 _Am I really so desperate that I'm trying to get him to request me with sob story like that? What is wrong with me!? Things are going too far, I need to end this._ Her hands were gripping tightly as she looked at the Akira. "I-I think we should stop this. Just because you have the money, doesn't mean you should waste it on services like this." She retorted gesturing to herself. "Besides, I'm your teacher. If we were to get any more involved, things could get complicated.

"I just want to help." Akira messed with his hair in frustration. The way she was talking to him now was reminding him of his first day at Shujin. "Why do I feel like I'm getting scolded..."

"I know I need the money, so I appreciate you offering to request me… But you should think more carefully about things before you throw away money like that."

"Maybe so, but in the end it's my choice on how I wish to spend my money isn't it?" He smirked now, deciding to poke at her a little. "If I'm old enough to be tried as a criminal, I think it's only fair I be permitted my own independence in choosing how I do things." Akira responded with a mocking tone,

Sadayo's hair flared up a bit to her student's response, her frustration getting the best of her as she slammed her hands on the counter. "You're a stupidly stubborn kid you know that!? I'm saying this for your own good!"

"The same could be said about you! What's wrong with me wanting to help?!" Akira returned in kind.

Both of them stared at one another for a while, waiting to see who gave in first. Unfortunately for Sadayo, time was not on her side. She groaned in frustration as she stepped away from the counter, pinching the bridge of her nose before doing a quick swat at the air with her hand. "You know what? Fine!" She looked at the foolish student in front of her, baffled by his stubbornness. "You've already been warned, the rest is your own responsibility. It's not my problem if you want to waste your money." She took out her phone "Here is my contact information. I'll let you know when I'm available for request, IF you can afford it that is." She retorted with a smug look, daring him to follow through.

Thinking of his many trips to the airsoft shop, Akira simply shrugged his shoulders with a smug look of his own and proceeded to exchange their contact information. "You don't need to worry about me, I'm sure I can manage."

"I should get going, _Master._ " Rolling her eyes, Sadayo tried to go back into the Becky act, but she was still upset. As she turned to the door...

"Ms. Kawakami, wait!" he called from the counter.

Sadayo turned quickly "What did I say about-"

"Get home safely... okay?" His expression had softened some. He was still upset, but he seemed to have calmed himself enough to give a show of concern.

His response took the wind out of her frustration, leaving her unsure on how to react. "Oh, ummm… yeah, thanks... But don't forget, it's Becky." Sadayo open that door, the bell ringing as she waved goodbye. "Goodnight, Master..."

Akira gave a small chuckle as he returned her wave. "Goodnight, Becky..."

And with the closing of the door, she was gone. Akira proceeded to take both cups and start washing them, but as he rinsed them the relative silence got interrupted by a forgotten spectator.

"Care to explain what all of that was?"

Morgana had leaped up one of the shelves as he looked at Akira sharp yellow eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Well for starters, the fact that you requested your teacher again? I know you requested her yesterday so you could continue your discussion, but what was your reason this time."

Akira finished with clean up as he took the apron and went up stairs.

"Hey, don't ignore me!" Morgana followed him upstairs, catching up to him on the table by the stairs.

"I'm not ignoring you." Akira sat down, leaning forward as he placed his face by his entwined hands. "She seemed in need of money, and I wanted to hear her reason for it... Call it a bit of curiosity."

"Funny thing about cats and curiosity." Morgana snide. "Doing so just for curiosity seems way too risky to be worth it." Morgana glared at Akira as he interrogated him. "Besides, what I saw tonight seemed like way more than just curiosity. I found her asleep in your bed. What kind of service is that? Then there was that squabble you two just had. I've never seen you so agitated by something so minor."

"It's nothing like that!" Akira stood up, before averting his eyes from the probing feline. "You should've seen how exhausted she was! She's been working non-stop today, and she's heading to another job as we speak. I'm going to guess that it's a daily occurrence for her, given how exhausted she always looks. I just... felt like she could use a rest." He sat down once again, as he leaned back looking upwards to the ceiling. "As for us arguing there, I…. I don't know, it just got to me." Akira placed his hand over his face in frustration. "I guess I got defensive when she tried pulling the her being my teacher card when saying that I shouldn't request her. I mean it's not like she'd do anything to help me as my teacher."

Morgana looked at Akira, and started to snicker. "Oh really? Looked to me more like you've taken a liking to her, and got annoyed at the prospect that you wouldn't be able to call her up anymore."

Akira lifted his hand as he looked down to the smiling cat. "What the hell are you talking about? I just wanted to offer some help, and I'm curious about why she felt like lying about her reasoning for needing the money."

"Ever the softie… and I'm sure being able to see her in a maid outfit doesn't hurt things either."

Akira kicked under the table, causing the cat to jump and flee elsewhere though still snickering.

"Hey, I'm keeping this a secret from the rest of the group. That doesn't mean _I_ won't mess with you."

"Whatever, I'm going to bed." He dropped on the bed in frustration, pulling the pillow over his face.

"Good night, Joker." Morgana had a feeling that it was probably not the best idea to go to the bed with Akira's mood and so went to the bench for the moment. "May you dream of pig-tailed maids." Morgana couldn't help but throw one last jab and was rewarded with a pillow thrown his way.

Akira just lay there for a moment, but looking at the phone's messaging app, he couldn't help but stare at its new addition. He put it away and attempted to sleep, but as the minutes went by, his frustration over the way he acted was getting to him. Morgana was right that he reacted way more aggressively than he should have, and was making it hard to sleep. He proceeded to grab his phone and leave a message.

[A]: Hey, Becky, it's me. I just want to say that I'm sorry about what happened there.

[A]: I still meant what I said, I don't mind requesting you some more if it will help you.

[A]: But even so, I probably shouldn't have taken it so personally when you told me not to.

[A]: I also meant it when I said that you didn't have to pretend to be someone else.

[A]: I guess that means that if you truly wish to stop coming, then it's your choice…

[A]: Just like it is my choice to continue to offer my help.

[A]: So I'll leave it up to you, to let me know when you're free.

[A]: I'll request you when I can.

* * *

Sadayo groaned when she arrived home after finishing the remainder of her jobs for the night. "What's with me tonight…. I need a drink..." She went to her fridge to grab a can of beer, then slumped down on her couch as she let her hair down.

She'd definitely had a hard time focusing on her last two jobs tonight. She kept thinking back to her time with Akira. "I can't believe I fell asleep on my student's bed, WHAT is wrong with me!?" She took a big swig from her can before slamming it on the a small table near by in frustration. "How could I be so dumb, especially after what had happened last time? That's how rumors start. I even gave him my contact info! The whole point of having him use a public phones was to avoid any connection." She bit the tip of her thumb in frustration. "It's all his fault anyway. I wouldn't have fallen asleep if he hadn't told me to relax. Why would he say that? What was he scheming? And that frustrating attitude! Acting like requesting me to be his made over and over was no big deal. He was being so stubborn, and I wanted to prove him wrong… Was he messing with me?"

As she continued to throw accusations, she heard her phone ping. Picking it up, she saw that Akira had messaged her several times. "What does he want now...?" As she read through them though, she could feel her anger slowly subside. She took a deep breath and tapped her head with her phone. "Seriously… What is wrong with me? Here I am throwing accusations at him, and all the while he went and apologized to me. Who's the adult here?" She placed down the drink as she leaned forward, resting her head on the palm of her hand. "Now that I think back… I did fall asleep, but not only didn't he do anything to me during that time, he didn't complain, and instead offered his blanket and some coffee. He's even willing to request me after doing all of that, without me having to pretend to be someone else." She remembered back to what he said to her during their argument.

" _The same could be said about you! Why is it so wrong for me to want to help?!"_

Thinking back to it now, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Wanting to help… Does someone like you really have the luxury of being kind? You're a much more stubborn person than me… I don't have that kind of resolve." A weak, sad smile slowly started forming. "I think I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, just this once..." As she proceeded to respond to his message.

[S]: It's fine, you're a high school student after all, you're bound to get emotional.

[S]: You're lucky to have such an understanding and forgiving maid.

[S]: Oh, I kind of left in a rush, so I forgot to say…

[S]: Thank you for the coffee, Master.

* * *

 **This chapter took much longer than I had anticipated it to. Here's hoping it was worth the wait.**

 **As a note, I know that Sadayo got a call from the Takases by this exchange, I didn't forget about it. I just wanted to focus more on the two of them getting more used to each other's company, with mixed results.**


	5. Chapter 4

**I apologize for the long wait for this chapter. It's been a couple of busy weeks, and made worse by the fact that I ended up sick for a while. That made it much harder to work on the chapter, and by the time I had recovered it had killed all momentum I had, and ended up with a case of writer's block. Hope the chapter was worth the wait, and that the next one won't take as long a time.**

 **Also, while I was a way Mizutanitony put out a story called "Bittersweet Valentine's" involving Sadayo and Akira as the do their best to celebrate Valentine's while dealing with the consequences of Akira's action during Christmas day. Also Emerald_Treasure started his own series, called "Persona 5: Living with Freedom" on Ao3, and begins on taht very same night. I hope to put my own iteration on these events in the far future, but for now these are both good reads.**

 **I don't own this characters, they belong to Atlus, but I love them all the same.**

 **EDIT: This chapter has been updated as of 3/20/19. Thanks again to Chessicfayth for all their help.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"Ms. Kawakami!"

"W-wha, what...?" Sadayo woke sharply from her sleep as Ms. Chouno slammed her hand against the table.

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Said Mr. Hiruta, "We are discussing one of the students in your homeroom. It's only fair that we get your views on the matter."

Sadayo was in a bit of a daze as remembered where she was. She had dozed off in the middle of a faculty meeting. She had planned to use the bit of free time before her night job to grab some food and rest, but was unfortunately intercepted by Ms. Chouno. While the other teacher was no longer prying into Kawakami's after school activities, she was still determined to drag her into the faculty meeting, despite Sadayo's failed attempts to excuse herself from it. They had started with the usual discussion of future plans, but it seemed that discussion had shifted to mid-terms, specifically the score of one student in particular.

"There's no way someone who barely pays attention in class like him could do so well!" Mr. Ushimaru protested, standing up from his chair. "That little punk probably cheated in some way!"

"Unless you have proof of such things, I would refrain from throwing such accusations." Retorted Ms. Usami as she looked at Mr. Ushimaru's direction. "He may not pay attention in class, but he seems smart enough to know the answers. If he understands the material and doesn't hinder the rest of the class it doesn't bother me."

"You can't go easy on these students." Mr. Ushimaru responded, pointing at Ms. Usami. "They need to learn to respect their seniors. If you just let them do as they please they'll walk all over you."

"Ms. Kawakami, you mentioned helping him with questions from time to time, plus he's in your homeroom. What are your thoughts on him?" Ms. Chouno Asked Sadayo who had just caught up with the discussion.

"Umm..." Sadayo scratched her head as she tried to think of a good excuse, since she didn't want them thinking she was giving him the answers after all. "Well honestly most of his questions seem more related to his assignments and wanting to make sure that he is doing things correctly." She remembered back to when she visited him last week, how he seemed to be working hard with his school assignments. "When it comes to actual subject matter he seems to understand things fine, and I haven't had much of a problem with him in class. Most of it was more due to his record being spread around on the first day."

And it was true. Since his arrival to Shujin he'd barely caused any disturbances at school, much to her relief. He may not be the most attentive student, but he's behaved well enough in class. If it wasn't for their run in that night, she probably wouldn't know about how much of a trouble maker he could actually be. He'd been especially attentive this week, though considering what had happened at his place the last time she visited, it was hard to tell whether he was doing it to actually improve in class, or to mess with her. Knowing his personality, it could easily go either way. For a few days she had a hard time facing him, though he seemed to have left her alone in that regard.

"Ms. Kawakami, you're zoning out again!"

"Oh, Sorry!" Sadayo flinched at the sudden outburst, snapping her mind out of the muddle of thoughts about the situation she was in with her student. "What were we talking about again…?"

"We are discussing the increase of discussion involving these Phantom Thieves of Hearts." Mr. Inui replied with his arms crossed. "Things were a bit crazy when that situation with Kamoshida occurred, but they had started to die down."

"Ah, but it seemed that another target has been hit and it has rekindled the flames a new." Mr. Hiruta added, wagging his finger. "Whether these are the same individuals or a copycat can't be proved, but It has people talking nonetheless."

"The students are becoming restless. They won't shut up! They keep on talking about it, even in the middle of class." Mr. Ushimaru grumbled.

Ms. Usami took out her phone and brought up the fan, or rather 'phan' site. "When Kamoshida confessed, this site started showing their support for the group. Most seemed to have seen the cards as a prank and just a coincidence, but now that a second target has appeared, and a famous painter at that, the site's has seen an uptick in followers."

Many of them remember seeing the press conference in which the Well renowned painter, Ichiryusai Madarame, had confessed to acts of plagiarism, more specifically taking the work of his pupils and claiming it as his own. Apparently even his most famous work "Saiyuri" was not his and the story of it being stolen turned out to be false. While the general public found it odd, if not amusing at how broken up he was during his confession, those in the faculty meeting remember all too well how similar his behavior was to Kamoshida's confession.

"They both were very similar. Could that just be a coincidence?" Sadayo broke the silence nervously as everyone contemplated the similarities of both events.

Mr. Hiruta simply shook his head. "Hard to say. Sadly the whole situation as well as the group is really quite mysterious."

"Be that as it may, the main problem right now is the students." Ms. Chouno said as she redirected the topic closer to school matters. "If they want to talk about it, that's fine, but we have to make sure that it doesn't end up disturbing class, so make sure to keep any discussion at a manageable level."

Mr. Inui did a small cough as to get the other teacher's attention. "There is one thing I wish to bring up. As of late there have been rumors of high school students being blackmailed and extorted in Shibuya. So far these are just stories, and we have yet to hear any such story from any of our students, but it's probably a good idea to keeps one's ears open for such occurrences in our school."

Ms. Umagi remembered something she had noticed a while ago. "Do you think that note asking students to talk to the student council about any information they might have has something to do with that?"

Ms. Chouno simply shook her head in frustration. "Principal Kobayakawa seems to have a lot of expectations for our council president, but I feel like he's putting too much pressure on her."

"He seems to favor her. Sometimes it feels like he discusses stuff with her more than the other members of the faculty." Mr. Inui responded with a bit of annoyance.

Ms. Chouno stood up from her seat. "Either way, I think we are done for today's meeting."

"Okaygottagobye!" As soon as the meeting was finished she stood up and rushed to grab her bag, ignoring Ms. Chouno as she asked where she was going.

The meeting took much longer than she had wanted. Evening was arriving soon and she hadn't eaten much all day. She hurried to the convenience store to find something, but sadly it seemed like it had been a busy day, and most of their packaged foods where out of stock

"Just one more thing. Though I _have_ been eating those for the last few days, so I guess I can find something else." Looking down the aisle she noticed that the instant noodles were on a two for one discount. She was hesitant though. "They seem affordable, but do I even have the time? It would go to waste if I got reques-" Sadayo was hit with an idea as she took out her phone. _He did say that he would be willing to request me, maybe I can make this work._

[S]: Hello, it's Becky the delivery maid!

[S]: We have a sale today.  
[S]: The "Maid's Cooking" Option will come included with the "Together with a Maid" option

[S]: Only 5,000 yen with the request fee.

As she finished sending her text she was left wondering what to do now. _It seemed like a good idea at the time, but it won't matter if he doesn't answer on time, or at all. He said he was willing to request me, but would he really be okay with such a sudden message? I'm sure he has his own social life..._ As she thought things through Sadayo shoulders slumped down and she gave a disheartened groan. "Since when did I become so reliant on one of my students?"

Her phone suddenly pinged, letting her know that her message was received.

[A}: Sure, I'd be up for a delivery.

A smile crept on the teacher's face. She picked two instant noodle bowls, quickly responding as she went to pay for them.

[S]: I'm so happy!

[S]: Okay, then please wait for me with an empty stomach.

[S]: See you soon, Master!

* * *

"Well... did you enjoy the 'Maid's Cooking' and 'Together with a Maid' services I provided today?" Sadayo asked with a happy expression as she set down her chopsticks.

She and Akira sat in front of two empty bowls that was their dinner. Akira had managed to find a folding table and a few chairs among the pile of discarded items in his room, which allowed them eat peacefully upstairs. While it showed in his reaction that this wasn't what he had in mind when she mentioned a 'Maid's Cooking' meal, he seemed to have taken it well enough...

"I appreciate the food, but I kind of expected more of a traditional cooked meal." Akira remarked as he began picking up only to be stopped by Sadayo.

"I can take care of throwing these out, though I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee after our meal?" Sadayo said as she cleared the table and went to dispose of the disposable bowls, but turned back to Akira. "As for the meal… I could put a magic spell on it to make it extra delicious next time, but if you would rather have something much more extravagant then I would suggest the 'Home Maid's Cooking option. That will cost you extra, but I make the best egg rice with soy sauce." She proclaimed cheerfully with a smile and wink.

"I'll have to think about it." Akira responded with an unsure look in his face as he scratched his chin with his finger. He got up and proceeded downstairs to start working on the coffee.

Once the contents were disposed of Sadayo took a seat in front of Akira, acting less like the cheerful Becky. "They are pretty complicated though. It says drain the hot water once and leave the sauce packet on the lid so it warms up… Why not just put the sauce on the noodles after draining"

Akira chuckled at his maid's apparent difficulty with the noodle bowls. "Seems simple enough to me."

. "If you're going to complain then don't request me." She retorted an annoyed look.

"No complaints here." Akira responded as he finished grinding the beans and set the water to boil, leaning forward with with confident smile on the other end of the counter. "Though, I figured there was a particular reason that you asked me to request you to cook something."

 _That obvious huh?_ She reeled at how easily he was able to figure her out and proceeded to rest her head on her palm with a sigh. "We had a faculty meeting today, it took way longer than I wanted and I hadn't eaten anything in a while..."

"Ah, I see. I request you for the meal, then you get paid _and_ get to eat without judgment." He finished her explanation as he proceeded to pour the hot water over the coffee grounds, letting it bubble and slowly drip through the filter.

"You told me that I can be myself when you requested me, so there you have it." She stuck her tongue at him as he simply shrugged it off, much to her annoyance." _Why are you taking this so well?_ She shook her head as she massaged her temples from the minor headache of trying to understand him. "Anyway… Thanks to the latest stunt by the Phantom Thieves the students have been really restless, and it's causing problems for us since we can't decide what to do; about either the students or the group itself. I'm also worried that the recent events will cause our salary to be cut… I'm just so tired of it all."

A smile slowly formed on Akira's face, It seemed that their plan to get their name out by hitting a big name was paying off, though he did feel kind of bad about Sadayo's situation. It couldn't be helped though. She continued to complain about her day as Akira continued his brewing, and by the time she was done venting Akira had finished and proceeded to pour a cup for her, which she was thankful for.

"If that's a problem, I can always request you more often?" Akira offered as he filled his own cup.

"Really? That would be a big help." She sat up excitedly. "If you do I'll continue to serve you with all my might, Master!"

"Hey, I know things are hard with you dealing with your sister's medical bills, so anything I can do to help." Akira took a sip of his coffee as he chipped a bit at that particular lie.

"Oh… right, my sister..." Sadayo, attempted to keep her composure, as she had forgotten about her little lie and was too afraid of telling him the truth when her phone began to ping. "Sorry, have to take this call, I'll be right back." Wanting to get out of that discussion as soon as possible she quickly fled to take the phone call.

Akira simply nodded as she went to one of the shop's corner, he was able to hear her responding to the call, but was sadly unable to get a good grasp of the discussion as he wished for once that Morgana had stayed behind, even if it meant Mona would end up messing with him later.

"Hello." The call started normal enough, but was quickly changed as whoever was on the phone went straight to business. "How much?!" Sadayo's shouted in shock before she remembered that Akira was around and attempted to lower her voice. "By next week? But I can't..." her voice silenced as she heard the other end of the call talk, her form shrinking with each second."Yes, but…" her energy slowly drained as it went on. "That… That's true..." Her free hand grabbed at her other arm as the call went on, squeezing it tightly. "Yes… Yes, I understand… Yes, it's my responsibility, after all..."

Akira could see that her hands were shaking as she hung up the phone. She stood there for a while, probably to recover from whatever that call was about and as she returned, Akira simply waited for her to sit.

"Problems with medical bills?"

"Huh? OH!" Sadayo snapped back from her sinking feeling as Akira's questions brought her back to the person in front of her. "Sorry if you heard that. I'm a little behind on my sister's medical bills."

"Are they that expensive? From what I heard last time you've been working non stop. How bad is it?" Akira's voice was soft, a look of concern in his face which caused the teacher to panic.

"Uh, well it's apparently some sort of crazy incurable disease, so there's a lot of fees and charges." Her hands flailing as she tries to make up an explanation. _He can't find out about them. If he found out…_ She took a deep breath as her rested her head on the counter. "I really need to pick up more shifts... If I don't, I'm going be in trouble."

Akira, stood there silently as he looked at Sadayo become lost in her thoughts once more. He was reminded of how she was behaving when he had found out about her job. _Well I seemed to break her out of it then, maybe it will work this time._

"Well you're not going to get that many customers with simply offering them instant noodles." Akira teased in a mocking tone.

Sadayo twitched at hearing Akira's comment as her head slowly raised to face him. "You're not letting that slide, huh? Are you any better?" She remarked with a pout In her face.

Akira simply shrugged nonchalantly "Boss has been teaching me how to make curry, other than that, I'm no good. Besides, how could I let it slide like that? I thought it was very cute." he said with a mischievous look.

"Now I know you're messing me with me. I told you, don't request me if you're going to complain. If you think you're so much better why not show me?" She argued as she pointed her finger at Akira, challenging him on his statement.

 _That's more like it._ It may not be the nicest thing to do at the moment, but he remembered how she wouldn't give in to his teasing, she would retort back with some fight and vigor in her. And, just like last time it seemed that she was now focused on the troublemaker in front of her, not wanting to lose to him. He had to admit, that desire of hers to not fall behind, to keep up with him was the main reason he found her so interesting, an interest that had grown with each interaction.

Akira chuckled at his flustered maid. "I'm not complaining, I'm offering some advice." Akira poured her another cup of the coffee. "You mentioned not having that many clients, maybe if you can offer a nice cooked meal you might get some more people."

Sadayo glared at him, her arms crossed and annoyed, but eventually give a sigh and begrudgingly accepted the cup. "Thanks..." She let it's aroma enter before taking a sip, it wasn't much but it did help calm her down a bit. "Even if that was true, I have very little free time, and even when I do I wouldn't know where to start."

"Then I'll accept your challenge."

Sadayo looked at him with a brow raised as she took another sip. "What do you mean?"

"About showing you what I can do. As I said, Boss has been teaching me how to prepare curry, so why don't I teach you? Mine might not be as good as his, but it's not bad, I'd say it's quite decent.." Akira placed his hands on his pocket as he gave Sadayo a confident smile. "We can even do it the next time I request you, that way you'll still get paid."

Sadayo looked at the boy with a stunned look, her mind trying to figure out why he'd do this.

 _That came out of nowhere, and it's way too convenient. What is he plotting? Could he be-NO! Dammit I'm doing it again. Here he is offering to help and I'm already suspecting him. I just never learn do I?_ She shook her head and looked at her student. "Why though?" She simply asked, still confused by willing to hear him out.

"I told you didn't I, I want to help out in anyway I can." Akira shrugged and began messing with his hair. "Besides, I'm your Master aren't I? What's so wrong about wanting to make sure that my maid is doing a good job?. Plus you issued a challenge, and I'm not going to back away from it." He explain with a devilish smile.

"You're such a brat, you know that?" Sadayo remarked, trying to keep herself from laughing at Akira's reasoning. "Seriously… You're a strange kid." Sadayo stretched her arms, feeling much more relaxed and calm than she was a few moments ago. "Well… As you said I would be getting paid either way, so I can't complain about your offer."

 _Looks like she's in a better mood at least._ "So does that mean that you accept?"

"Sure, and with the confidence you have, I'm expecting much from you, Master." Sadayo confirmed with a playful look in her face. "Sadly though, it seems that our time is up." Sadayo stood from her chair. "I'll let you know the next time I'm available, okay?"

Akira smiled as he nodded. "Sure thing, take care, Becky..."

Sadayo returned his smile with one of her own as she waved goodbye. "Take care, Master..."

* * *

"Finally done!" Sadayo stretched as she finished the last of her school preparations.

Today had been a half day in school, and with no available work that she could acquired, Sadayo found herself with some free time in a while. Not sure what to do with her sudden free time, she decided to get a head start on her upcoming classes turning on an old romance movie as white noise in the background. She hoped that getting the syllabus done in advance would allow her to focus more on her jobs when they become available, and by the movie's climactic point, she was already done.

As she thought to herself about what to do, a smile slowly shaped in her face. She stood up she went and grabbed her phone checking for the time. "It's a little bit early… but why not let him know ahead of time that I'm free."

[S]: Becky is excitedly waiting your request, Master!

[S]: Your lovely maid is ready to learn how to please.

[S]: So let me know once you're ready!

She placed her phone down and proceeded to organize her school work while she waited on his response. It didn't take long as her phone pinged in the distance and she eagerly went to check it.

[A]: Sorry, I won't be able to request you tonight, a friend of mine has found himself without a place to sleep so I'm having him crash here.

Her excitement quickly dissipated at reading his response, and she let out a disappointed sigh.

[S]: Oh! No, it's fine. Sorry for bothering you.

As she responded to Akira's message, she wondered about this friend that he was talking about. She remembered the faculty meeting from yesterday and was a bit worried. _Could it be someone from Shujin?_ She continue to message him, hoping to get some more details on the situation.

[S]: Is everything alright? Is it serious?

Sadayo impatiently waited for his response as she paced in her living room.

[A]: Nothing serious, he just wasn't thinking things through.

[A]: Sadly, this means that It will be hard to request you for a while.

[A]: Sorry...

Sadayo just looked at the phone, a bit relaxed now that she knows that it isn't something serious, but still trying to figure out what to say, when the phone pinged one more time.

[A]: Just so you know, he's not someone you know, He doesn't go to Shujin.

Sadayo let out a small chuckle at the last message. "Did he figure out why I was asking? I keep forgetting that he can be very perceptive when he wants to be. Though I guess we won't be seeing each other outside of class for a while..."

Sadayo shook her head at the realization of what she had just said. "That's good, right? I mean I kept telling him that he shouldn't request me, and he kept spending money away so frivolously, he should really be responsible with it. Not to mention that he's my student, he shouldn't be requesting me in the first place". Sadayo pulled her legs up to the couch, her arms around them as she grumbled. "Even though he was the one that offered to request me."

She stayed in that position in silent contemplation as her head slouched forward letting out a frustrated groan. "WHY?! Why am I so frustrated by this? He doesn't owe me anything, he's simply helping someone out. Knowing him he probably didn't realize it would be problem until I sent the message."

Her head lifted as she looked to the tv The credits beginning to roll as she stared at the monitor without really seeing it as she tried to figure out her confusing thoughts. "I guess… it was just the fact that it was nice having someone request me so often. It's hard enough getting new customers, so having a stable customer has made things a bit easier. Though it isn't fair to him really... All I do is complain and vent." She thought back to all she had put him through, and while he was quick to mess with her, in the end he never complained and treated her well. "He's surprisingly tolerant and can actually be kind of sweet when he's not being a cocky brat."

A smile formed as she remembered the first time he had requested her, how he'd told her that she could be herself when he requested her, and how she was slowly becoming comfortable being around him, how being with him helped her feel at ease. "I have to tell him that he can't request me anymore. I don't get involved with my students for a reason, to avoid getting attached. I'll only end up hurting him, hurting both of us, I know that already, but..."

Her thoughts interrupted as she heard her phone pinging. She rested her head on her arm as she faced the phone and checked to see what it was. A small, disheartened chuckle escaping her lips as she read the message.

[A]: It may take a while, but I'll find away to be able to request you. I'll let you know when I can.

"I'm such a coward. I know that I should end this, but I can't make the payments without him. So in the end I'll end up using him, because that's the kind of person I am..."

* * *

Akira stared at his phone as he laid on his bed, Morgana was by the foot of the bed while Yusuke had been given the couch. After Yusuke's plan to stay at Ann's place failed spectacularly, Morgana offered they place for the time being. There wasn't a bed available for him but he seem perfectly fine with the couch.

"Might I ask about what your looking at." Yusuke turned to face his new roommate.

"It's nothing..." Akira sighed as he put his phone down. He hadn't seen anything from Sadayo's end after his last message, and was a bit worried.

"He's probably just sad cause he had other plans today." Morgana remarked, preparing himself for any retaliation.

"Other plans?" Yusuke asked, quite curious to what their feline companion was referring to.

"And yet you immediately offered our place to stay." Akira sat up from his bed so he could face both Morgana and Yusuke.

"My apologize, it seems that I have ruined your plans." Yusuke said with his head down.

Akira lightly shook his head. "It's fine, while I did have plans, I would had still preferred you staying here. I was more frustrated because I was worried about how Boss would had taken it, but I guess that turned out all right."

"Thankfully, Lady Ann was able to talk to him and get the okay." Morgana reassured him, as if that was part of his plan.

Akira gave an exasperated sigh at Morgana's confidence. "Why do I feel like that was more luck than anything else."

Akira was a bit annoyed. He had hoped to help Sadayo today and Morgana jumping in put a damper on those plans, though to be fair, he doesn't know the full gist of the situation since Akira had been avoiding talking to him about it. He was admittedly a bit worried, considering how she was acting last night, but be that as it may, he wasn't going to abandon his friend in the street because of that. He just had to find a way around being able to request her without Yusuke seeing her.

"I see, Thank you... I'm in your debt." Yusuke bowed his head courteously. "I hope that you will take care of me during my stay."

"Well to be fair, I think it's more like both of us are in the boss's care." Akira corrected as he scratched the back of his head. "But, I understand your sentiment, let's just do our best. For now let's get some sleep."

As they got ready his phone began to ring as he quickly stood up and went to check, only to find it was Ryuji. Still, why was he calling? Did he forget something?

"Who's that?" Morgana ask curiously.

"It's just Ryuji, one moment." Akira picked up the call to be greeted by his friend.

"Hey man, how are things holding up over there?"

"Things are going fine. What's going on Ryuji?"

"Sorry did I wake you up?" Ryuji replied apologetically.

"Just about to sleep so you caught me at the last moment."

"Then I'll make this quick. Do you have any plans tomorrow?"

* * *

With all that confusion that she went through the night before, Sadayo needed some time to think. While she would rather be working, she figured she'd be way to distracted, not to mention that she didn't sleep all that well with everything on her mind. She found that fishing helped her clear her head, maybe it was because it gave her something for her mind to focus on, maybe it was because it reminded her of her hometown and of happier times. Whatever the reason, it usually did the job and was one of the few luxuries she let herself have. She took her bag and took a train to Ichigaya, where the local fishing pond was. As she arrived and paid her entry fee she stopped, surprised to see Ryuji and Akira fishing.

 _You have got to be kidding me!_ _Why are they here?_ She wanted to avoid being spotted, but sadly it would seem that Ryuji had already seen her and let Akira know, not to mention the fact that the fishing pond was surprisingly full today, with one of the few spots open being right next to them. _This has to be some kind of cruel joke._ With an exasperated sigh, she walked towards her two students.

"Two boys at a fishing pond on Sunday, huh..." Sadayo remarked, still in disbelief of finding both of them here. "Shouldn't you be doing something more exciting? Why are you sitting around like old men?"

"Look who's talking. Why are you here?" Ryuji commented, just as surprised to find their teacher at the fishing pond.

Sadayo sighed as she massaged her brow. "Sometimes adults need time to themselves to unwind and clear their thoughts. You'll understand when the weight of the real world starts affecting you, as you start working long shifts and your free time slowly becomes less and less."

Ryuji slumped his head of his teacher depressing reasoning."Wow you're sounding really old there Kawakami. That can't be good for your health."

Sadayo simply glared as she noticed Akira seemed to be focused on his fishing and hadn't commented much. "That's MS. Kawakami to you."

She proceeded to sit down at her spot, her two students behind her, and started fishing, trying to ignore her unexpected company. It took her a bit longer than usual, with Ryuji constant complaining about lack of catches distracting her, but eventually she got into her usual pace and start getting some big catches.

"Holy crap… Akira! Kawakami could be the master fisher we were looking for, she's already caught so many." Ryuji looked stunned at this new discovery.

"Keep it down. If you keep being so loud you'll scare all the fish." Sadayo simply remarked without turning away from her lure, though she had noticed that Akira hadn't said anything to her. She felt her eyes slide slightly to the side to look at him, though she quickly went back to her lure when she thought Ryuji would notice. "Is Kurusu-kun okay? I haven't heard a word from him at all."

Ryuji scratched his head in his confusion, not fully sure himself about what Akira was doing. "He's been like that for a while now. We haven't been able to catch a single thing… I think he's trying to stare down the fish."

"I'm keeping an eye on the fish. They keep going for the lure but I'm always short in pulling them in, so they get away. So I'm not losing track of them this time. But now none of them are going for it and-" Akira mumbled on, as he impatiently waits for the fish to come.

 _It's a bit strange seeing him struggle with something, must be his first time._ Sadayo did her best to hide her amusement at seeing the ever cocky Akira struggling to even catch anything. _In a way it was kinda cute, how flustered he was getting._ "It's really easy once you get the hang of it. Just clear your mind and free yourself of all negative thoughts."

"So you're saying that we shouldn't think? How do we do that?"

"By letting go of all worldly desires?" Akira brought his lure back after waiting for so long and no bite.

"So you're saying that if I think that I don't want any fish then..." Ryuji closes his eye, a contemplative look showing on his face for a few seconds before he just shakes his head. "Nope not working, we're doing this because we want the catch a fish."

"It's more that you're so focused on the catching that you're hindering your chances. Relax your grip, focus less on what you see, and more on the subtle movement of the rod as it is pulled. She continued to instruct Akira without loosing her focus on her lure and continued to catch some of the bigger fish in the pond.

Akira listen to what she said, but was still unsure, he had confidence in his eyesight, especially after becoming a Phantom Thief, so telling him to not rely on it was strange. Nonetheless, she clearly knew what she was doing, so with a deep calming breath he threw the lure once more. Some time went by as the lure floated in the water, Akira instinctively tapped his foot after a while, which Sadayo took note of.

"That isn't going to help. The lure is already out, all you can do now is make it so they won't flee, and even small movement can affect the water."

This gets him to stop as he takes another deep breath and relaxes his arm. Sure enough he notice a small pull as the rod jerked ever so slightly and he immediately stood up as he pulled at it, Ryuji standing up in surprise.

"Whoa, We got one! don't lose it Akira."

"Don't pull too hard, if you do you'll break the string. Tire it out slowly so it will become easier to pull."She turned to instruct her student, guiding him through the process.

After much struggling Akira manages to pull it out of the water. It was a small one, but he was excited about having caught anything at all at this point.

"That's it? Considering how much it was pulling I was expecting something bigger." Ryuji commented, disappointed at their first catch since arriving.

"Hey, it's something at least." Akira said enthusiastically as he proceeded to release the fish.

Sadayo went back to her fishing, mumbling to herself in in frustration as her hopes of some alone time had been denied. "It's such a nice sunny Sunday too. I didn't think I'd be stuck fishing with you two on my day off." She gave a tired sighed as she reeled in another fish. "But I guess this is kinda fitting… Two troublemaker students, and their no-good teacher. We're perfect for each other."

"She's nagging, but she's still getting fish, She's scary good at this." Ryuji was honestly impressed at how good she actually was.

Akira smiled as he caught another fish after following his teacher's instructions. "You're much better at teaching than you give yourself credit for. After all, I'm doing much better now thanks to your guidance. So cheer up _Master_ Kawakami."

Sadayo was left silent at the words her troublemaker had said. While they had slowly become used to each other's company, this was the first time he had given her a direct compliment. Even with that mischievous tone of his when he called her 'Master', his gratitude and smile that came along with it were genuine. It felt like less of a poke at her other job, and more a sign of respect for her ability (though she never felt that her fishing skills was something of worthy of respecting, let alone her teaching ability).

"Again… That's MS. Kawakami." She avoided looking their way as she could feel a bit of a blush in her cheeks.

They continued fishing together after a while, people slowly leaving for the day, and eventually Ryuji decided to head out for the day. Akira told him he would be staying a bit longer and with a wave and a wide grin they parted ways for the day, leaving the teacher and the student.

"Oh, Ms. Kawakami." Akira sat straight, having remembered something, causing Sadayo to jump a bit.

"Y-yes?"

"I forgot to mention, but my friend decided head back to the dorms, so I should hopefully be able to request you again." Akira let her know, remembering that Yusuke had left the morning before he even got up. He hoped that last night comments hadn't push him away, but when he texted him he mostly got talk of wanting to live among the other and learn new experiences for his art, he figured that meant that things were good on his end so left them as it was. After all, while he was worried for him, he was a bit relieved that he wouldn't have to juggle him being there and finding time to requesting Sadayo.

"Oh, that's good." Sadayo looked shocked at how quickly that situation got solved, even though he did tell her that it wasn't anything serious. As she remembered about last night she gripped the fishing rod tightly as she bit her lower lip. "You… do know that you don't have to request me, right? You probably have other stuff you'd want to do than spend time with someone like me."

Part of her wanted to tell him that he should just stop doing so, for his own good, but the other part knew that she would be struggling to do her weekly payments without him. So she continues to ask him, reminding him that he can stop requesting her at any time, both dreading and hoping that he will take the chance to do just that, since her situation caused her to be unable to put her foot down herself.

Akira simply smiled as he managed to reel in an average sized fish. "It's nothing to do with having to. I've enjoyed your company, and if it also helps you out, then I don't see why I should stop."

"Seriously! What are you, some kind of masochist? It's not like I've done much." Her eyes widen at his comment of enjoying her company.

Akira chuckled at her question, but paid it no mind. "The point still stands. If you will let me, I'm happy to continue our deal, and I did take up your challenge after all. I would look bad for me if I ran from it now."

"That IS true… As long as you're okay with it I guess." a moment of silence passed as she realized that they've been talking while avoiding any eye contact, as they sat back to back. "Is it just me, or does it feel like we are discussing some kind of shady deal?"

Akira kept himself from laughing at her comment, as he was reminded of what Ryuji had said when they started fishing. "Well if you like, there is a new spot here." he patted the crate where Ryuji was previously sitting.

"I think I'll stick to where I am, thank you very much." Sadayo said with an exasperated tone, though a bit of a smile was beginning to form.

They continue to talk quietly as Sadayo offered a few more tips and Akira readily put them to practice. As evening was fast approaching they both decided to head out, Sadayo heading out to her night job, Akira planning to meet up with Iwai from the model gun shop. They bid their farewell and went their separate ways, both in better spirits and with fond memories.


	6. Chapter 5

**I'm not dead yet, but I do apologize for the long wait. I hope you enjoy the chapter and let me know what your thoughts are either in private messaging or in review form.**

 **Also for more Akira/Sadayo stories, Mizutanitony has Started his new part "Growing Pains" dealing with Akira moving in with Sadayo, so why not take a look.**

 **These characters don't belong to me, but to Atlus**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

As the bell rings, another day at school has ended. Sadayo was on her way out of the faculty staff when she got stopped.

"Excuse me, Ms. Kawakami?"

She turned to see Makoto Nijima walking towards her. "Oh, Nijima-san, what is it?"

"Sorry to bother you, but Akira Kurusu is in your homeroom, right? Could you tell him to come meet me at the student council room?"

Sadayo raised her brow at the sudden request. "Kurusu-kun? Is he in some trouble?"

Makoto shook her head in response. "I just need to go through some procedures with him, since a lost item claim hadn't been made."

"Lost item?" Sadayo looked a bit confused, but figured that if Akira was looking for something of his, it was best to let him know that Makoto might have found it. "Okay, I'll check if he' still in the classroom, if he is I'll let him know." With a polite bow she went to her homeroom quickly so she could head to her afternoon job. When she arrived she found Akira getting his stuff ready. "Oh good, you haven't left yet."

Akira turned to face her, wondering why she was calling for his attention.

"Nijima-san wants you to meet her at the student council room. She said that since a lost item claim wasn't made, she needs you to feel out some paperwork."

Akira looked at Sadayo with a baffled expression "Lost item claim…?"

"Didn't you ask her about a lost item?" Sadayo expressed as she joined in the confusion of the discussion.

Akira simply shrugged as he shook his head. "Not that I'm aware."

Sadayo was reminded once again about the discussion in the last faculty meeting. The talk of students being extorted and how the rest of the teacher felt like the principal was having Makoto look into it. ' _If She wanted to talk to Kurusu-kun, does that mean that…'_ She signaled for Akira to come closer as she made sure that none of the other students were paying attention.

"Is everything okay? You're not in any trouble are you?"

"Why? You not worried about me, are you Sensei? I thought you didn't get involved with your students?" Akira couldn't help but tease her a bit, which caused his teacher's face to turn red.

"I-Its not like that. If anything happens I'd have to deal with it. I told you already, didn't I?" Sadayo looked away from her inquiring student as her hand covers the side of her face in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "Why do have to make things so difficult for me? Jeez..."

Akira did his best to hold back his chuckle at his teacher's reaction. "Sorry, I'll be more considerate. I wouldn't worry though."

While her words where the same as when he first arrived in Shujin, her attitude towards him had clearly changed since then. It made Akira happy to hear her voice concern for him and teasing her was all he could do to disguise the smile he had in his face, not that there weren't other reasons to do so. He enjoyed how flustered she would become from it, even though he had to hold back at school.

"I'm sure it's just her wanting to keep tabs on me on the principal's order, I do have a bit of a reputation following me."

"That's true..." Sadayo looked down, remembering how she saw him when he first arrived to the school. As she realized that she was being used to contact Akira though, she couldn't help but get annoyed. "Still, if that is the reason, it's really frustrating. Why do I have to run errands for a student? Even if the principal seems to favor her."

"That may be true, but… I wonder how she is feeling about all of this." Akira commented as he toyed with one of his unruly locks.

"What do you mean?"

Akira was reminded of his first meeting with Makoto on the school's roof. It seemed that she had been tasked to investigate the situation with Kamoshida, and, not surprisingly, he and Ryuji were at the top of the list. She was determined to figure out what was the cause for Kamoshida's confession, though it seemed more like it was forced on her than out of interest, and ever since then he'd noticed her following him every once in a while.

"Just feels like she has way more responsibilities than someone of her position should have." Akira shrugged, still not sure why the student president was calling him like this as opposed to just coming to him directly like she's done in the past. "Either way I shouldn't keep her waiting."

Sadayo just scratched her head, unsure at what Akira was talking about. "If you say so..." Sadayo looked down at her watch and was struck with panic as she saw what time it was. "Shit, I'm going to be late! I need to head out, make it home safely Kurusu-kun!" She turned and waved as she took her leave, but as she was passing the corner she halted and looked back to see Akira walk up the stairs to the student council room with a worried look on her face. Once he he was out of her sights she let out a sigh as she went on her way in a hurry to her next job, hoping to make it in time.

* * *

Rain poured heavily outside of Leblanc as Akira finished up getting the necessary ingredients for tonight's lesson. While it was a Wednesday night, Sadayo was free since she tended to not get much request while it was raining, and after a small chat they had decided that tonight would be good time for her to take him up on his offer to teach her how to make curry. As he finished up he heard a loud yawn, and turned to his feline companion who was resting on top of the fridge with an annoyed look.

"You know, if you're bored, you're welcome to go wander outside."

"And miss out on the results of this experiment? I'll pass on going out in the rain." Morgana replied with what Akira figured was a smirk. "If your first attempt is anything to go by, I'm sure this will be fun to watch."

"I thank you for your show of confidence. That only went bad cause I tried making it on my own from what little I got from Boss before we got interrupted, it shouldn't go that bad." Akira huffed as he went and sat on the stool next to Mona, waiting for his student for the night to arrive.

"Reeeeaaaaally? Cuz the fact that you went out of your way to get your own ingredients so we don't use Boss' stuff says otherwise." He snickered confidently, which earned him an annoyed groan from Akira.

As the bell by the door rang both Akira and Morgana turned their eyes the maid who had just arrived. Even with the umbrella which she was shaking dry, she wasn't able to make it completely unscathed as she groaned in frustration.

"Why is it raining so heavily tonight? I'm soaking wet..."

Akira did his best to keep straight face as he went and picked up a towel. "Glad you could make it, I was beginning to worry."

Sadayo smiled as she posed, her hands together while leaning forward and batting her eyelashes. "Where you worried about me...? Becky is lucky to have such a caring master." She said cheerfully, giggling at Akira rolling his eyes.

"Getting me back for what I said last Monday at school I see. Still, I am glad to see you made it." as he hands her the towel.

"Thanks… Seriously though, sorry to keep you waiting, the rain made it much harder to move around the crowds, not to mention having to avoid getting splashed by passing vehicles."

"Come take a seat then..." Akira turned, signaling her to follow, "I'll make you the usual to help warm you up.""

"That would be lovely..." Sadayo said happily as she proceeds to take a seat, noticing the extra company close by.

"Hello, Ms. Kawakami." Morgana greeted, though all Sadayo heard was the meowing of a cat.

"Hey little guy… I haven't seen you in a while." Sadayo smiled as she took a seat and attempted to stroke the cat's head.

"Nrrg, don't treat me like some house cat" Morgana complained, as he pawed her hand away from his head.

"He's very talkative. Did I do something to upset him?" Sadayo had a look at disappointment as the cat refused her hand. "Oh! Speaking of which," she was reminded as she turned to Akira. "I forgot to ask last time, but does he have a name?"

"It's Morgana," Akira responded as he maintained his focus on his work, though turned to give Sadayo a reassuring smile. "and don't worry about him, he's touchy about how people treat him." Just then Akira had an idea. He set the pot down for a bit and proceeded to signal Sadayo to come closer.

While at first she was confused, she leaned over the counter as her student did the same. It was quite and odd feeling to have a student so close to her as he whispered instructions, and she could feel her cheeks going pink as his voice rang in her ear. Nonetheless she listen to his suggestion, and when the cat looked away she gently pet his head the way Akira had instructed her.

"WHAT THE-" Morgana protested to the sudden touch but was quickly subdued as he laid down on the chair happily meowing to the petting.

"Wow, it really did work. Look, Master!" Sadayo said with glee as she continued to pet with a look of satisfaction.

"Meeeooww... no fair… That's cheating...? Morgana complain as Sadayo happily continued petting his head.

Akira did his best to keep himself from laughing at both how cheerful Sadayo was as she played with Morgana, as well as Mona's failed protest. As he finished brewing the coffee he figured that Morgana have had enough, as he poured a cup and proceeds to change the subject.

"If you don't mind me going back to our conversation... you mentioned having to move around the crowds. Do you tend to sneak around often?" Akira inquired as he imagined his teacher sneaking around in her maid outfits, much like he and his friends have done many times while in the Metaverse in their thieves' gear.

"Thank you…" Sadayo picked up the cup and let the aroma of the freshly brewed coffee fill her senses before taking a sip.

In the small amount of time since they started meeting like this, she'd come to find a sense comfort in this little routine of theirs. Sadayo would talk about her day and her frustrations, as Akira would offer her a fresh cup of coffee and listen to her attentively. While these moment usually didn't last long, she welcomed these small periods of respite in her otherwise stressful life. As she took her sip she could feel herself relaxing as the drink warming her body and she let out a contented sigh.

"Is the coffee to your liking?" Akira asked with a look of confidence, but still wanting to hear her opinion.

"Very much so!" Sadayo confirmed with a big grin on her face, taking her time with the drink. "You're getting better at this."

"I appreciate your words of praise, but according to Boss I still have a long way to go." Akira said as she shook his head, though smiling as he did.

"Well you've got my approval at least."

"Thanks, You still haven't answered me by the way." Akira leaned on the counter, resting his head on his palm.

"You're the one that changed the subject." Sadayo smirked at her student as he waited curiously for her response, a brow raised in confusion towards his interest in the subject. "It's nothing elaborate, I just avoid crowded areas on my way to work as a maid. Don't want anyone recognizing me on the way after all."

"I don't think you have to worry too much about that. I mean, I was right in front of you and even then it took me a good while, as well as some hints to figure out who you where." Akira said as he shrugged, remembering how confused he was when he first saw her. If she hadn't started questioning him, he probably wouldn't have realized he was looking at his own homeroom teacher.

"It's the pigtails, right?!" Sadayo responded excitedly, as if she was answering a questions in a quiz show. "When I first tried getting them my hair was all over the place, but because the latchkey kid who lives next door is always asking me to tie up her hair I've become an expert with these pigtails now." Sadayo looked quite proud as she continue to boast about her talent while showcasing her craft.

"It's that why you put your hair up like that? I had just figured that they where part of the uniform." Akira had just finished cleaning up the brewing equipment and proceeded to take a seat next to her, curious about the topic at hand.

"Well no, there are girls with short hair so you couldn't do stuff like that unless you had extensions and those aren't required. I just did it because I thought that maybe..." Sadayo thoughts trailed for a bit as she spun the cup around before looking back at Akira with a pout. "By the way, I've been talking to my boss about me picking up more shifts… But he told me that he much rather prioritizes 'younger' women!"

"Well that seems kind of rude." Akira commented, a bit confused by the sudden change of topic, but not wanting to interrupt her.

"Seriously… and he said it right to my face too." Sadayo leaned forward, proceeded to rest her head on the palm of her hand as she continue to vent. "I mean… what does age have to do with cleaning a room! And I think I look damn good for my age, if I do say so myself. The girls in my neighborhood always tell me I'm pretty as well. So I'm doing quite well for-" As Sadayo faced looked shocked as realized her argument boiled down to being called pretty by the little girls in her apartment complex, "… Wait, am I the only one that really thinks this way?...Kurusu-kuuun?" The tone of her voice switching to that of her Becky persona as she makes puppy dog eyes to Akira. "You think that I look good as a maid, don't you? Please tell me your honest opinion, Master."

Akira could only look away awkwardly while scratching his cheek at the sudden question that had been asked of him by his teacher. He did think she look quite good in her maid outfit, but it was more than just that.

When they first were introduced, he hadn't paid her much attention, simply wanting to avoid trouble, But ever since that night where they had their second meeting, he had started to notice her more and more. While for most of the day she always looked tired out or annoyed, he couldn't refuse that he found her to be a very attractive woman both in her maid outfit and just in general. This was especially true when she smiled. The first time he saw a genuine smile from her was when he first offered her a cup of coffee, during their small chat he saw a glimpse of someone who wasn't always complaining about her students, exhausted from all the work she was doing, or filled with dread at what ever deadline she had to pay up. All he saw was was a very beautiful woman. Not that he'd say this to her out loud though, as something told him that doing so would probably make her feel awkward about hearing something like that from a student of hers.

"I'm honored that you'd think so highly of my opinion, but I think it's much important for you to love yourself, don't you think?." Akira asked, trying to avoid giving a straight answer as he heard Morgana snickering right behind Sadayo.

"Huh? Well..." Sadayo looked quiet surprised at his response, as her finger circled the rim of the nearly emptied coffee cup as she tried to think of something, but she shook her head with a shrug as he turned to Akira with a smile. "I just don't feel like I'm worth being loved." She turned back the remainder of her drink, her eyes seeming to look into her rippling reflection. "But… I guess you're right. I can't expect people to like me if I can't find anything worth liking about myself, can I?

Akira was speechless at what he had just heard, he tried to think of a response, but in the end nothing would come out as his mouth as Sadayo finished the coffee and stood up, giving a long stretch and acting like she hadn't said anything unusual.

"I feel much better now, so let's see how good this curry of your really is, Master!"

She continued to smile as Akira got brought back from his thoughts and simply gave her a nod. He wanted to inquire at the reason for why she felt like that, but from the look of it, she was ready to move to another topic, so he did his best to act like nothing had changed as he gave her a confident smile.

"I'm sure it will be to your liking. But for now let's start with the preparation." as he walked by her and went to kitchen. "You said you can do some egg rice correct, can you get the rice started? The bag of rice is at the bottom shelf."

"Sure thing." Sadayo went to picked up the container and added the rice and water. On her way to the cooker though, she notice Akira giving her a puzzled look. "What is it?"

"Aren't you going to rinse out the rice first?"

"Don't you just need to add the rice and water? Isn't that what makes them so useful?"

From the tone of her voice it seemed that she had no idea what Akira was talking about, and with that, Akira started to see why she might have had some trouble with the instant noodles.

"Come, let me show you something." Akira signaled her to come with him to the sink, his hands waiting for her to pass him the pot of rice, which she did with a curious look on her face. "Notice how the water is murky? It means that you should rinse it out until the water is clear."

Akira showed Sadayo how to rinse of the rice, guiding her as she followed his instructions with surprising interest. As they continued with the lesson, he started to feel much more relaxed, and while he was still worried about what she had said a while a go, seeing her genuine enthusiasm had him smiling and deciding to just enjoy the moment. As he proceeded to work on the curry itself, he couldn't help but make sure that she was looking his way as he showed off his skill with the knife. Twirling the knife as he work to slice the ingredients at the cutting board, which was rewarded with both sounds of astonishment and praise from Sadayo, as well as groans and cries of being a show off from his feline friend in the distance.

"You're surprisingly good at this." Sadayo commented as Akira was bringing the stock that would become the curry to a boil, all the while skimming the surface.

Akira couldn't help but chuckle at the maid's compliment, satisfied with with having met her expectation. "I am learning from the best. Thought it's been postponed at the moment, it seems Boss a lot on his mind so I only know the basics." Akira points to the container of curry sauce mix "It's why we are using the instant Curry roux."

"It's still better than I can do, apparently I was even doing rice wrong." Sadayo said, disappointed in herself to learn that she was messing up something as simple as rice.

"I wouldn't feel to bad about it, and honestly it's more of an extra effort, as opposed to actually ruining it. I did the same thing when Boss was teaching me and he threatened to kick me out if I ever did such lazy work again." Akira gave a guilty shrug.

"He seems quite strict," she remarked, a bit of a gentle smirk showing as she imagined Akira being scolded by Sojiro, "but if you've gotten this good, then he must have taught you well."

'You know...If you'd like I can teach you some other things… I mean I can-" Before he could finish his offer his phone started pinging, he ignored it at first but it kept going and figured what was going on. "I'm sorry, I have to deal with this, can you take care of washing the potatoes and putting them in the stock, it shouldn't take long."

"Sure! Leave it to me then." Sadayo pumped her fist confidently while giving a reassured smile. "Should be easy enough."

"Thanks, I'll be right back. Just make sure to lower the heat once you do." he proceeded to head to the other end of the cafe as he looked at what was going on, and as he figured, the group was discussing their plans for tomorrow. The only lead they had gotten at the moment was about the part-time solicitor by Central Street. It seemed that he was connected to the mafia, and if they followed him it would probably lead them to the boss. He caught up to what had been already talked about in the group chat when Yusuke asked a very important question.

[Y]: Indeed, it seems that is where our target waits. But then… who should be the one to go?

Akira was concerned about any of the other members going. If things went wrong they mafia would have a hold on them. Yusuke was bad enough with money as it was, Ryuji has his mother to worry about, and Ann has dealt with enough blackmail and coercion for a life time. Part of him wish they could send Morgana, but sadly while he was quite capable at sneaking around and infiltrating, he is unable to do negotiations with other people.

[A]: Don't worry, just leave it to me.

As he wrote the message, he resolved himself. This mission was unlike the previous ones, a fact that Ryuji was also aware off.

[R]: Well guys, we gotta brace ourselves. We're up against a serious criminal here.

They weren't dealing with a Perverted P.E. teacher, or a plagiarizing artist this time. While both where very dangerous and had a lot of influence, it doesn't compare to the a member of the mafia. If things go wrong, if they screwed up or made a wrong move, it is a very real possibility that their lives would be in danger. And while the risk of death was not a new concept for them as they faced it constantly whenever they went to a Palace or into Mementos, but at least there they have the means of fighting back. If anything where to happen to any of his friends…

Akira was lost in his thoughts, unable to hear the cries of a concern cat as he is trying to warn with no successes about the boiling water, only to be brought back by another voice.

"OH NO! The pot is is overflowing!"

As he turned around he saw a panicking Sadayo as the stock in the pot was bubbling and spilling all over.

"What happened!? What do I do!?" Sadayo went and grabbed some towels as sh tried to move the pot from the hot stove hoping that it cause it to stop spilling over.

"Wait don't-"

But before Akira could warn her the stock in the pot swayed as she moved the pot, splashing on her right hand.

"OW!" She moved away from the pot, gripping her hand.

"Sadayo!" He ran to the other side he quickly grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to the faucet which he turned on and led her hand to it. Once he made sure the water stayed in a relatively cool temperature he grabbed a pot and let the water running to fill it up. "keep your hand submerged, Okay? Also, make sure to remove the cuff, just in case it got hit by the stock."

"O-okay.. sure." Her face still looked pain, but seemed more surprise at Akira taking charge like he had.

Akira nodded as he went to see the damage. The stove was soaked with the stock, and while it had stopped bubbling now, a lot the broth had been lost. As he looked at the dial, he noticed that it was still on high. He turned it off and took the soaked towels, considering himself lucky that non of them landed on the hot top.

"I'm sorry... I really messed up, didn't I?" the guilt in her voice clearly showing her regret.

Akira sighed at the mess that would need to be cleaned, but he quickly turned to Sadayo. "There's no point in crying over spilled stock."

"Was that supposed to be a joke..?" Even though she still sounded annoyed, a chuckle escaped her lips.

"A bad one, but got a reaction didn't I?" Akira responded as he went to get the first aid Kit and a dry towel. "The curry doesn't matter right now, the most important thing is to check that you didn't get seriously hurt." As he walked back with the kit and towel he grabbed one of the chairs and placed it by Sadayo. "Take a seat, I need to examine how bad the burn is."

"S-sure thing..."

As Sadayo took a seat Akira took her hand from the water filled pot and kneel down so that she didn't have to keep it raised. He took his time examining it and eventually let out a sigh of relief as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Well the good news is that it seems very minor, so we shouldn't need to go to the hospital." He proceeded to carefully pat the skin dry towel, He got the occasional whinges from Sadayo and would apologize, but once dried grabbed some gauze and dressing and started to loosely wrap the area.

"You seem to know what you're doing." Sadayo ask, once again surprised how capable her student was.

"I learned some first aid from the doctor I had told you about. She wanted to make sure that I knew how to properly treat injuries, in case anything would happen during my… extracurricular activities."

"Extracurricular activities? Didn't think you where in any clubs." A curious look showed in Sadayo's face. "Would these activities be related to how you're able to request me so often?

Akira responded with a slight shrug as he continued working.

"Still keeping that a secret, huh?" Sadayo huffed, gently poking him as he simply brushed her question to the side as he carefully worked on her hand. Even now Akira continues to mystify and surprise her, he seemed so laid back, most of the time it feet like he didn't have a care in the world, but seeing him show concern for her and react so quickly caught her off guard, especially since he…

"Uhmmm, Kurusu-kun… About what you said back then. You know... calling out my name?"

Akira froze, his face looking a bit shocked as he seemed to just now realized what he had done.

"Oh! I'm not upset or anything, it's fine, I was in a panic myself so I understand that it wasn't intentional..." In all honesty, while she wasn't happy with the sore hand and ruined curry, she couldn't deny that the scene that followed made her heart race. The way Akira called out her name in concern for her safety, the way he took charge of the situation and made sure she was okay and didn't dwell too much on what had happened, but seemed simply worried for her sake. It felt like a scene from the many romance movies and books that shes read in the past, and she had to admit that hearing her name called out in particular made her heart skip to the point that she had completely forgotten about the pain in her hand for a while. Considering who the person that caused her to feel like this was though, she was having some very conflicting feelings about this.

' _J_ _eez… get it together, why are you getting so flustered_ _by_ _one of your student_ _s_.' Sadayo noticed that Akira was waiting quietly for her to finish her statement, his eyes focused on her, which made her all the more more conscious about it. She looked away as she cleared her throat in an attempt to regain her composure. "Still.. you should be more mindful about calling someone by their name. What if they get the wrong impression?"

"Very well, I'll keep that in mind." Akira chuckled as he finished up with the dressing and stood up. "There... that should be it, it will be sore for a while, but it should recover on it's own."

"Thanks..."Sadayo looked at her bandaged hand as she noticed that Akira was already begun working on cleaning the mess that she had made because of her mistake with no complaints, seeing this pained her as her body sunk down, her uninjured hand covering over her eyes. "I'm sorry… You go out of you're way to request me and try to help, and all I do is vent, complain, and make a mess of things. As a maid, I'm supposed to help my master relax… but instead I'm the one being helped and just make things worse..." All she could do is laugh at herself for how pathetic she must look to him at this moment. "Sorry I'm such a terrible maid."

"Don't beat yourself to much about it," he continue to clean, showing just as much regret as Sadayo was. "I was supposed to teach you, but I went and left you in the middle of it and barely explained anything, that was my failure so don't worry about it, okay?"

Sadayo removed her hand from her face as she looked at her master with a confused look. She's supposed to be the adult of the two, but once again, Akira seemed to the much more reliable and responsible one. When she first heard of him, she expected him to be the definition of a trouble student, based on she had been told about him. Even as he quietly went through the school days, she just figured that he would eventually snap at any moment. But the more she got to know him, the more she realized she knew nothing about him.

He was definitely a trouble maker, that was certain. He has no problem messing with her and getting her all flustered, not to mention a stubborn brat considering how many time she warned him that he shouldn't be requesting her, only for him to do so anyway with that cocky attitude of his. But he was also a smart kid who worked hard on his school work. He was patient and understanding, he gave her someone to talk to, and allowing her to be herself and unwind, without complaint. And most importantly, he was kind, so very kind and caring of those he is close to. As time went on a question in her mind kept growing more and more, her confusion growing as she continued to talk to the person in front of her.

"Hey, Kurusu-kun… What exactly happened to you... Why do you have a criminal record on you?"

Akira stop midway as he looked at her with a surprised look. "Don't you know about it already? I mean figured they'd talk about it when you where told of my transfer, not to mention all the rumors about me once it got leaked at the school." He looked away as he grabbed the back of his neck. "And like I said… It's not like it matters now..."

"They really didn't tell us much details, we just knew that you expelled from your school cause of your situation and that the principal thought it would increase the school's reputation by 'giving this troubled youth a second chance to turn his life around.' I'm pretty sure that he only did it because of those circumstances he mentioned during our meeting. As for the rumors… I'm not a biggest fan of rumors, so I try to ignore them for the most part." For a second she had a solemn look on her face, as if remembering something that had occurred, but she turned to face Akira nonetheless. "It just doesn't make sense, the student that we where told about, and the person in front of me seem world apart."

"Are you sure about that?" Akira chuckled as he scratched his cheek. "Maybe this is all part of my scheme. How can you be so sur-?"

"Because I trust you." Sadayo didn't hesitate in responding Akira, surprising both him and herself, as she looked downward with her finger near her lips. _'I… trust him…?'_

This went unnoticed by Akira who had been left stunned as he turned his face to the side and once again hid the clear sign of a smile with his hand. "When you put it that way… it makes it kind of hard to argue back."

Akira took a deep breath, leaning on the kitchen counter as his hand went over his hair. "It's not that long a story really. I was waking one night when I heard someone yelling for help. I went over to it and found some drunkard trying to force a woman into his car, She cried for help but no one was coming to help or even noticing what was going on, it was a quiet night so there weren't that many people outside. It looked liked I was the only one that had found them as the guy told me to scram, but the look of that woman's face, how terrified she was… I just couldn't just stand stand there and do anything…" he placed his hands in his pocket "I wasn't planning anything violent, I just wanted to get between the two of them, but as as soon as I touched him he stumbled down and landed face first into the concrete. The guy cried out that he would sue me and if by perfect chance the police finally showed up, the guy told them that I had attacked him and before I knew it I was getting arrested." he proceeded to tap his forehead, with a grin on his face. "The nice bleeding wound that he had probably help sell his story."

"Wait, that was it?!" Sadayo was honestly shock at how insignificant the reason was. "I mean, I didn't think you actually assaulted someone, but you didn't even argue with the guy? He just falls over and you end up with a criminal record?" All she could do is ask question, it was just to hard to believe. "And what about the woman, didn't she speak up, I mean-"

"She actually collaborated the man's story about me assaulting him."

Sadayo's face sunk at the revelation. "B-but why? You where only trying to help her."

"It looked like he had some connection to the police as he was able to avoid having his name revealed, if she had retaliated he would had told the cops about some shady stuff that she was apparently involved in, under his order apparently, but by the way she acted I'm guessing that would had been easy for him to hide that little bit of knowledge."

"So she abandoned you.. to save herself." Sadayo felt as if something was gripping her heart. "Because of that you're in this situation..."

"I guess that's one way of putting it." Akira scratched his head, confused at what Sadayo was hinting at. She was biting her lip and she had curled as she grabbed her right arm tightly, there was something on her mind, and it was eating at her. "Kawakami? Is something the matter?"

Sadayo shook her head, "It's nothing, it's just that..." She hesitated at first, unable to look him in the eyes. "Kurusu-kun… Do you… resent her? I mean... do you blame her for what happen to you?"

"Honestly, at the time I have to meet I did partially blame her just as much as the guy for my situation..." He noticed how Sadayo's body tensed up as he mentioned this. "But in the end I can't really blame her."

"But why?!" Sadayo responded with much more aggression that she intended, unable to understand her student's thought process. "It's because of her that you're at risk of loosing everything. If she'd just stood up for what she felt was right then-"

"Then nothing would had changed." Akira interrupted, strong in his resolve. "No matter how things ended, I don't regret my decision to to step in and help her, I made my peace with that already. I already told you, that guy clearly had connections and could easily silence her if he needed to. It was the same for Kamoshida and Madarame. Their victims felt alone, and unable to fight back. Because of that they felt like the only choice they had was to accept their fate. If there is anything that I can do to give them courage, then-."

"BUT SHE PROMISED TO BE THERE FOR YOU!" Sadayo snapped as she covered her mouth, realizing what she had just said.

Akira just stared with a raised brow at the maid's sudden outburst. He had no idea what would cause such a reaction, and more importantly to say what she did. "What promise? I have no idea what your talking about."

"Pleases, just ignore what I said." She stood up, walking away from Akira. "What the heck am I even saying…?" She tried to compose herself, still unable to face Akira. "I keep ending up doing things or saying things that I never thought I would around someone, especially one of my students." She gestured her hands as if she was a scale, weight two different objects. "My double life as both a teacher and a maid is so exhausting, having to juggle who I am to my student and staff at school, and who I am to my customer during my job. Maybe that's why I let my guard down around you? Because you know both sides of me. The more I come here, the more I feel like I can relax, I don't have to hide or act or pretend, I can just be myself. It's actually been kind of nice." She turned to Akira giving him a very gentle, if not also sad smile, only for it to shift to a more solemn look as she grabbed her arms, feeling a stinging pain in her right hand as she did so. "I have a confession to make… I lied about my reasons for needing to make money. The stuff about having a sick sisters...? That was all a lie, same goes for the fee and charges. You understand now right?" Her voice had become stern and distant. She wanted to get through his head about what she had been doing this whole time.

"About that..." Akira scratched his cheek as his face showed a lack in surprise to her statement. "I kind of already knew that was the case."

' _And yet you still requested me without a second thought. Why am I not surprised...'_ Part of her was relieved that he hadn't been fooled, but still she continued on. "Whether your knew or not about it doesn't excuse my actions. I can't get requested unless I make up those types of stories. Nothing good will come from involving yourself with a terrible person like me. I tried to lie and manipulate you, and prioritize my other jobs over my role as a teacher. I used your situation to keep you quiet about my job, and worst of all I continued to take advantage of your kindness, because even when I knew I shouldn't be doing so, all I cared about was making my payments." Sadayo let out a pained sigh, as she looked at the glass door outside, the rain was still pouring as hard is it was when she arrived. "Let's just put an end to this. You're good kid, and I'm very thankful for all you done for me, but there are just some people that aren't worth helping... It's a good lesson learned"

As Akira saw Sadayo head towards the door he began to follow her "Wait Kawaka-"

"STOP!"

Akira halted as Sadayo shouted from the entrance, her tone just now was much angrier and it showed as she stared down at him talking to him similarly to how she did the first time they met, her voice full of disgust and frustration. "Thank you again fro all you've done. But don't EVER request me again, don't EVER call me again, and don't you DARE follow me. Thank you for using our services, and… goodbye"

As she went on, her previously angered voice slowly becoming much more weaker. She had tried to push him away, but it was to late, she had become very close to him, and it was because of that reason that she was so frightened and desperate to run away. As she said her goodbye Sadayo quickly turned ran out the door, completely ignoring her umbrella as she went out into the rainy night. Akira tried to follow suit, asking her to stop as he gave chase after her, but it was dark, the rain messed with his visibility and he didn't know which direction Sadayo had gone. After a fruitless attempt he came back to Leblanc, where a towel carrying and worried Morgana waited next to the public phone.

"I expected a disaster, but nothing like that." Morgana left the towel by the counter which Akira picked up and began drying himself up. "So what are you going to do? She said not to request her, but..."

"It felt forced..." Akira took a seat by one of the benches as Morgana went and sat on the table facing him. "And there is no way I'm leaving things as they are, especially after tonight."

Morgana had a look of concern for his caretaker. This was the second time he had seen them together, and both times ended with them arguing with one another. "Talk to me straight Joker, why do you keep requesting her? It's obviously not for her services, it's like she said, it looked more like you were the one serving her, honestly it sometimes it looked like you're one of those guys working at a host club."

"So you think I'm only acting nice to get in her favor?" Akira commented with an amused grin and a raised brow.

"No, it's clearly you have a thing for her." He snickers as Akira gave him a disappointed look.

"That has nothing to do with it. She just looks alone, and is constantly working herself tired, I just want to help out in however way I can."

"Are you sure that's the only reason..." Morgana narrowed his eyes as he moved closer.

"Well… I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy her company. I find her a very interesting person." he points to the abandoned umbrella "She clearly knows what she is doing at time, she left without the umbrella even in this heavy rain because she wanted to loose me and knew that it would be a hindrance. I just don't understand why she think so little of herself."

Morgana shook his head "Man, you really don't see it do you." Morgana shook his head at how oblivious Akira was being, letting out a loud yawn. "Oh well, I'm calling it a night."

"One more thing." Akira interjected as Morgana was going to jump off the table.

"What is it?"

"You were in the kitchen when things went down, can you tell me what happened?"

"Hmmm…." Morgana thought for a while as he looked back and tried to remember what had Occurred. "Well soon after you left she rinsed the potatoes, you should have probably told her that they also needed washed like the rice as well by the way, but after she put them in the pot her phone started going off. She went to check who it was and then just stood there holding it tight. It was kind of odd since she never picked up the call, she even forgot about having to lower the heat."

"She didn't pick it up?" Akira was a bit surprised at that detail, every time her phone went off she was quick to pick it up and answer it. "Could thing had gotten worse for her, or was it someone else?"

"Sorry, couldn't get a good look at the ID of the caller. Anyway, I'm off to bed."

And with that the cat left, leaving the still soaked Akira on the bench. He thought back to what Sadayo had told him…

" _I just don't feel like I'm worth being loved."_

"Not worth being loved…" Akira chuckled as he looked back to his first days in Tokyo. "I wonder if I would be feeling the same way if I hadn't stumbled into the Metaverse with Ryuji." He stood up, looking outside as the rain continue to pour, with no signs of letting up. "I don't know why, but hearing you say something like that... It makes me want to prove you wrong."

* * *

Sadayo closed the door as she entered her home, leaning her back against it as she slid down to the floor. Her body was shivering from the cold as she was completely soaked all over except for her right hand which she had done her best to cover from the rain. She lifted her head, drops of water dripping from her hair, as she looked at her hand with a weak smile.

"It was nice while it lasted… but this is how things should had been from the start."

" _I thought you were just a problem student, but you're actually very smart. I think if you're won't juggling so many jobs you'd rank very highly."_

"I told myself I wouldn't get attached, and yet it still happened." She curled up, her arms wrapped around her legs.

" _It's decided then! If you're not able to make class because of your job, then I'll help you study during your time off."_

"I don't deserve his kindness, I knew that, and yet I selfishly clung to it."

" _As your teacher, nothing would make me happier than to see my student succeed. I'll go the distance for you, just you wait, I promise!"_

"But the moment things go bad, I'll abandon him to save myself."

" _But those rumors aren't true, there's nothing like that between us, and he's not like that at all!_

"If he knew about what I did, he'd understand how selfish a person I really am.:

 _I just wanted to give him a chance to prove himself. Doesn't her deserve at least that."_

I'll just look away and do nothing, and before I know it, he'll be gone."

" _So I have to give up on one of my students or risk loosing my job as a teacher...?"_

She raised her head, looking as the rain continued to pour heavily even now. She didn't show signs of sadness, frustration, she simply looked tired as she continue to stare with an absent look at the rain. _"_ Now that I think about it, it rain like this that time too, didn't it…"

" _I'm sorry, I can't continue to help you anymore… I know I promised that I would be there for you but… I'm so sorry."_

"When I caused Takase-kun's death."

* * *

 **Again, sorry for the wait, and sadly no real excuses other than this chapter was particularly hard for me to write. I had a previous version that had to be completely scrapped so that didn't help in the matters either. Here's hoping I can get the next chapter up quickly and fix this, (Arggh hate making these character feel like shit for any reason, but that's how things are playing out).**


	7. Chapter 6

**I'm very happy to hear that people enjoyed the previous chapter, since I was nervous about how things went. Thank you for the kinds words and hope that you continue to enjoy the series.**

 **I don't own these characters, they belong to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

When it rains, it pours… If there was one way to describe how Sadayo's week had gone, this would be the most fitting in more ways than one.

Sadayo was leaning by the window as she saw the Tokyo night lights reflecting on the rain with a worried expression in her face. "How am I going to make the payment this week. The deadline is coming up and I still don't have enough… I don't think I'm going to be able to make it without taking from my living expenses..."

It had started with Monday where she had arrived late to her afternoon job at the convenience store. While she had managed to excuse herself and not get fired, it did result in a cut in her hours. Because of that, she had to spend her Tuesday arguing to her manager at Victoria for more shifts, which only got her rejected, along with adding insult to injury by being told to her face that it was because of her age, which didn't help with her mood. Adding to all of this was the fact that it had been raining since Wednesday, so any chance of her getting requested had been washed away in the rain. But the cherry on top of this horrendous week, would have to be her meeting with Akira that very same day.

With how things where going, she was actually looking forward to him requesting her. She desperately needed some time to de-stress and unwind, and while it wasn't her original intention, had managed to find place where she could feel at ease in Akira's company. Sadly, even that was a disaster as she proceeded to ruin everything by cause a mess, getting her hand injured and ending with her pushing away the only other person to show her any sort of concern or kindness towards her in years. The other person, her mother, had tried again to reach out to her that very night, leaving her a voice mail.

Sadayo took out her phone as she looked at the voice mail that her she had left for her. She had been avoiding speaking to her for the so long now that she couldn't remember when was the last time they had an actual conversation, and even though she knew that her mother was worried about her, she just couldn't bear to face her. She would always tense up and freeze every time her mother tried to reach her and last Wednesday was no different as she felt knots starting to form in her stomach while she let the phone continue to ping until it went to the voice mail. Usually she would delete it as soon as as she would see it pop up, but the incident that followed afterwards made sure to distract her from it, she had actually completely forgotten all about it until just now. She gave out a sigh as she proceeded to delete it when she was interrupted by a call from Victoria. This took her by surprise but she was in desperate need of hours. So she prepared herself mentally as she took a deep breath before answering, wanting to make sure to catch the customer's interest.

"Hiiii! This is Becky, the maid that shakes with desire to see her Master! I'm so glad that you called me master, I was getting soooo lonely." She eagerly awaiting a response, but didn't get anything but silence for a couple of minutes which caused her to worry. "H-Hello? Is Master there?"

"S-sorry… You kinda caught me off guard… I don't know how to respond back."

She recognize that voice immediately, and as soon as she realized who it was hung up immediately as she is hit with a mixture of anger and embarrassment as her face turn red like a tomato. Anger because of how furious she was at him for deciding to call her after everything she had told him, and embarrassment at the realization at what she had just said to one of her student. Given the choice between angry at Akira and dying from shame, she put focused on the first.

"Why!? Why did he request me again?!" She said through gritted teeth as her phone pinged once more, this time being a text message.

 **[A]:** Everything okay?

"You little-" Sadayo flared up and couldn't believe her eyes, as she responded, verbalizing what she typed out loud in frustration.

 **[S]:** No!

 **[S]:** Everything is not okay!

 **[S]:** WHY are you requesting me again!?

 **[S]:** Didn't I tell you specifically not to do so last time?

 **[S]:** This stubbornness of yours has gone past the point of being cute you know!

 **[A]:** So you thought it was cute before?

 **[S]:** Goodbye Kurusu-kun

Sadayo had gone past the point of getting flustered and was just about done with him. Part of her wanted to throw the phone, but figuring that would only do more harm than good and simply placed the phone down and walked away. Soon after the phone started going crazy with responses, she knew that she should just ignore it, but went to check it anyway.

 **[A]:** Wait

 **[A]:** Sorry

 **[A]:** Please hear me out

 **[A]:** I know you told me not to call you

 **[A]:** But I just kept thinking about why you would need money that badly that you would lie

 **[A** **]** **:** So I want understand your reason...

Sadayo read the messages but simply put the phone down once more before a couple of messages showed up. She didn't know why she kept looking at them instead of just ignoring them, but she found her eyes drawn to the glowing screen.

 **[A]:** You haven't gotten that many request these past few days, right?

 **[A]:** You mentioned how that tends to happen when it rains.

 **[A]:** Do you have enough for your next due date?

 **[A]:** I'll pay two hours worth.

 **[A]:** You don't even have to work or pretend or anything.

 **[A]:** You don't even have to spend the full time here.

 **[A]:** You said it yourself that you only care about getting paid right?

 **[A]:** So you shouldn't see any problem with this proposition, right?

 **[A]:** I just want to talk.

 **[A]:** That's all

Sadayo gripped the phone tightly. She wanted to just leave things be and end it, like she should have done so in the beginning. It was hard enough for her to say what she did that night, but as much as it pained her to admit, he was right. She didn't have enough and while the amount he's offering wouldn't cover what she needed fully, it would still help considerably. Still, he wasn't getting off that easily, and she going to let him know it. And so, with a defeated groan Sadayo proceeds to call him, which he responded excitedly.

"Hey! I'm glad you called ba-"

"Before anything else, I want you to know that that's a really shitty thing you just did." Sadayo made her anger very clear in her voice. "You're taking advantage of my situation and you know it."

"I know… I'm not exactly thrilled about having to do so myself, but would you have listened to me if I hadn't?" His voice seemed regretful. He clearly wasn't happy about doing it either, and would had rather not be necessary, but again he was right. If not for her situation, she would had refused him.

Sadayo took a deep breath as she put pressure between her eyes. "Fine… but that's all, once we're done talking I'm no longer obligated to stay. Got it!"

"Y-yeah, of course." She could hear as it sounded like it let out and sigh, not to mention the meows of what she figured was Morgana on the other end. "That's all I ask."

"Very well, I'll get ready and head over, please call Victoria to put out the request."

As Sadayo hung up she proceeded to do just that, and while she was still upset at the stunt he pulled, by the time she had finished up she had managed to calm herself a bit. As she was about to head out, she looked towards her umbrella that remained by her door.

She regretted having run off without it as she did that night. She had been forced to make a mad dash to school without it the next day since the rain continued to pour. Her clothes had been soaked and after she had explained her 'forgotten' umbrella to the other staff members, she'd ended up wearing a school track suit for the rest of the day. She'd also had to divert a few questions about what had happened to her hand. As she arrived to her desk in class, she was surprised to find her umbrella hidden under her desk. She stood up and looked around in a panic, worried if someone had noticed anything. Considering how bad her week had been so far, she was scared that someone might have seen Akira place the umbrella and start some rumors, but once again, much to her surprise, nothing really came of it. She even noticed that there was a piece of paper tied inside of it and when she opened it, found it to be a note with some instructions about how to take care of the burn. Other than that Akira had simply left her alone. Sometimes she'd seen him texting while in class, and considering that Ann would do so around the same time figure they were texting each other. She always wondered at time about what exactly he would be talking about in the middle of class, and was occasionally tempted to go up to him and confiscate his phone, after all she was his teacher, and he shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff in class. In the end, she decided to give him some slack since he'd been keeping to his part of the deal, even if she had decided to end things between them, though apparently he had other plans.

Sadayo could couldn't help but chuckle at her students stubbornness to help her. "Even after everything I told him, he was still worried about me." Her smile slowly turning solemn." But... will he feel the same way after her finds out about me..." Sadayo shook her head, steeling herself for what was to come. "No, it's for the best that he knows. Then he'll finally understand the kind of person that I am and stay away from me... won't he?" she groaned in frustration, resisting the urge to ruffle her hair, as she lets out a tired, defeated sigh. "What am I going to do…? I don't even know what I want anymore." She grabbed her umbrella, and went out into the rain as she tries to clear her mind of what is is that she wishes to happen. Her resolved to tell him the truth solidified, but still uncertain for the reasons why.

* * *

As Sadayo entered at the now familiar coffee shop she went up stair to a waiting Akira as he sat on his couch. Meanwhile Morgana was sitting by the workbench and for some reason seemed much more focused than a cat would usually be, and for some reason Sadayo couldn't escape this feeling that he was awaiting her arrival just as Akira was.

Sadayo stood in front of him, placing her right hand on her hip as she leaned to the side, a look of frustration appearing as he just sat there. She may have calmed down, but she wasn't done voicing her frustration at his actions. "Seriously, what is wrong with you? I already told you that whole story about my sick little sister was a lie, so why did you even request me? I used you for money and even told you to no longer call me, and yet here you are... Why?"

Akira turned to face her, scratching his cheek as he gave her an awkward smile. "What can I say, even if that reason wasn't true, at the end of the day, it's like I said at the fishing docks. I enjoy your company, and don't mind having you around."

"Huh?!" Sadayo, was left wide-eyed with astonishment by the blunt claims her student had just made. "Now I'm definitely sure that you're either messing with me, or some kind of extreme masochist. What's so enjoyable about being around someone like me? I'm nothing but a lousy teacher and a mediocre maid."

Akira shook his head in disagreement. "Whether you believe that or not, that doesn't make what I said any less true, besides, I want to understand why you felt that was necessary, I think I'm owed that much as the person that was being used, don't I?"

Sadayo's expression slowly became softer, The boy still confused her to no end, but he couldn't help but admire how understanding he was. "You really are one strange kid… After everything I've done to you, you're still willing to hear me out…" She looked away in shame as she held her apron. "You're the complete opposite of me. I don't even bother trying to get to know my students or attends to their needs. All I do is complain and wash my hands of them at a moments notice."

"Last time you mention something about a promise. I'm pretty sure you weren't there when I got arrested, so I'm going to guess that was more about you."

Sadayo was quiet while continuing to avoid looking at him, but she nodded in agreement nonetheless.

"Would you mind telling me what happened?"

Though hesitant and more sheepishly than before, Sadayo nodded all the same. She walked to Akira and decided to seat next to him, leaning forward as her fingers intertwined with one another, gripping tightly as she felt her chest tightened up. _'_ _Come on, you decided that you would tell him,_ _and_ _he has a right to know. S_ _o why are you hesitating now?'_ She turned to find Akira waiting patiently, she could tell he had many questions, but once again, he sat there patiently, though his focused seemed to be downward. "Ummm, what are you looking at..." his stare only making her more nervous, though for a different reason.

"How's your hand? Has it been healing well?"

"OH!" She raised her hand to show him. "Yeah, it's almost fully healed thanks to your care."

"May I?" Akira held his hand up as he waited for hers. While a bit hesitant, Sadayo lend him her hand as he examined it until he gave her a reassuring smile. "That's good, I it looked fine when I first checked it, but I was worried about it getting worse."

"Is that why you left that note with the umbrella yesterday?" She leaned on her hand, a coy smile on her face

"You kind of left so suddenly that night," Akira stated with a nonchalant shrug. "And while it was minor, It's better to be safe than sorry. Plus, I figured you'd want your umbrella back."

"You know you almost gave me a heart attack with that little stunt. What if someone had seen you leave the umbrella?"

"Oh I'm not to worried about that, I'm quite confidant in my abilities to go by unnoticed." Akira had confident smirk as he said this.

"That's because you had me keeping watch to make sure no one came to the class room while you did so." Morgana interjected as he leaped from the work bench to the Couch's armrest, using Akira's shoulder to pull himself up. Though it simply looked like it was wanting attention from Sadayo's side.

The maid sighed in disbelief of her student's cockiness, though a smile showing through. "And here I was thinking you were actually quite mature for your age, then you go and pull something like that and remind me just how much of a brat you can be. At least give me a warning next time."

"So there WILL be a next time?" Akira was quick to remark

Sadayo stopped, as she realized what she had implied with her comment. She really had gotten used to having him around, both in and out of school, which made her telling him the truth all the more important. "W-we'll see about that..." Sadayo took a deep breath, which caught Akira and Mona's attention, figuring she was ready to tell them.

"As you know, the payments weren't for paying medical bills or anything like that. They're for… they're an apology."

"An apology?" Akira raised a brow, uncertain at what she meant by that.

"Yeah… You see I didn't originally teach at Shujin, my first year as a teacher was at another school, and during that time there was this student in my class called Takase. He was considered a problem student since he had the lowest grades and constantly skipped class," she gestured at herself, "and as his homeroom teacher, I was put in charge of guiding him… well, more like push him into transferring to another school. I was a bit nervous about approaching him at first, I mean, I was still new to teaching, and he didn't have the best reputation."

"Kinda like me, huh?" Akira interjected, grinning mischievously.

Sadayo giggled a bit at his response, but was not surprised by it. "Yeah… And like you, as I got to know him better I came to realize that he wasn't really a bad kid. He had been missing class not out of laziness or disinterest, but because he was having a difficult time juggling his studies and work. You see, Takase-kun had lost his parents and therefore was being taken in by his relatives, but because of this he was responsible for his own living expenses. This lead to him having to work countless jobs, which made it hard for him to get to classes.

' _That seems a bit harsh… And sound like what you're dealing with right now with all the jobs you're taking.?'_ Akira contemplated, wondering the similarity between their job situations, but decided to wait till she finished.

"But even with his job taking a lot of his time, Takase-kun had a desire to study, and even wished to graduate and go to college. Seeing how hard he was working and how he wasn't going to give up… it made me want to cheer him him on, you know. So I made a decision, and began tutoring him after class." Sadayo gave a half-hearted smile, as she remembered the day that she made her promise to Takase. "You should had seen how surprised he looked when I told him that, he was so happy to hear that I wanted to help him and said he was going to work harder than ever, and sure enough his grades started to improve. It was a slow process, but and improvement nonetheless, and I couldn't have been happier for him."

Akira could sense a hint of pride in her tone as she recollected. She probably was very proud at both how much her student was accomplishing, as well as herself for being able to help him. Sadly that feeling was short lived as her face turned sour.

"But… I was told that it wasn't right to focus on helping one student over the others, that I was playing favorites instead of helping those that deserve it. If you ask me I think they were more upset that I didn't do as I was told and helped him instead. Worse yet, rumors started to spread around the school about him being a delinquent, and soon after there where rumors… about me..." Sadayo was having a hard time continuing as she recollected what had transpired all those years ago. The rumors that had spread, the glares, the look of disgust in some of her staff members and even her students. She knew the rumors where false, but it that didn't stop them from causing her all manner of grief, isolation and shame.

' _Huh..?'_ A realization came to Sadayo at that moment, as she turned to look towards her student who was patiently listening to her. Someone who she had just recently found out the truth of his situation. _'That's right... he's going through something similar at school right now, isn't he.'_

"So I'm guessing this is why you said you weren't a big fan of rumors"

They looked at each other, face to face for the first time tonight. He wasn't wearing his glasses and she could see the curiosity and interest, but this was mixed with a look of concern in his eyes. She cleared her throat, still not fully recovered, but feeling much more calmer now. "Anyway...Eventually I was called to the principals office and was given a choice, though it be more like threat... If I didn't stop tutoring Takase-kun, he would dismiss me."

Akira remembered back to Sadayo's outburst last Wednesday. The way she reacted to finding out what he had gone through, the questions she asked him. It probably meant that…

"So you stopped..." He could see Sadayo's body tense up at his response. Her hands shaking as they gripped her apron tightly.

"That obvious, huh…?" Sadayo could feel her heart sinking, as shame and guilt started creeping in. "I should have stood strong in my conviction to help Takase-kun, stood up to the principle. But…. I was scared. Scared of loosing my job as a teacher, about the rumors that where spreading about us…about me. So… I caved in to the school's demands, and told Takase-kun that I couldn't continue to tutor him anymore." She turned her head slightly, wanting to get a glimpse at how Akira is reacting to all of this, but in the end was too scared and simply looked as the rain continued pouring from the window outside. "I still remember it very vividly. It was New Years, and it was raining heavily like it is today, he was on his way to work when I called him. He acted like it was no big deal and said that he wouldn't have had time for tutoring anyway since he was so busy with work, but I could tell that he was heartbroken when I told him the news, he was trying his best to make sure I didn't feel bad..."

Morgan moved closer, sitting by her lap facing her. "Ms. Kawaka-?" He was gently grabbed and held close by Sadayo as she slumped downward. Normally Morgana would be agitated about this, was willing to tolerate it this time. A gesture that Akira appreciated as he gave him grateful nod before putting his focus on Sadayo.

"In that very same night, after I called him, Takase-kun died in a car accident…" Her voice was wavering, her body trembling as she held Morgana tight.. "If… If only I had kept my promise to him."

"Becky…" _'So this is why you asked me that question.'_ He moved closer, wanting to comfort her as he lowered his head to look at her. "I'm sure that Takase doesn't blame you for what happen, That the accident wasn't your fault."

"But it was my fault!" Sadayo yelled out as she faced Akira in distraught before looking downward in shame. "I know it was... He was already tired from all of his part-time jobs, and my adding the tutoring only drove him to exhaustion! His guardians themselves blame me for the accident, that I used him to just to make myself feel better, but discarded him as soon as he became an inconvenience to me."

"Ms. Kawakami..." Morgana look upwards to the saddened maid. As she looked down to the meowing cat on her lap she tried to smile at him as she gently scratched him under his chin. "Sorry... didn't mean to startle you Morgana."

' _Yeah,_ _a_ _nd I'm sure them having him working all those part time job because they didn't want to take responsibility was the real reason_ _._ _Some guardians..._ _'_ From what Akira had gathered, he didn't have the best of opinion of Takase's relatives. For as much of a hard ass Sojiro was with him at the beginning, he at least made the effort to take care of him, even if it was a bit backhanded. But it seemed that Sadayo was determined to take the blame for the tragedy. He didn't like it, but he knew that trying to argue that would only make it worse for her to continue, so he kept it to himself for now. "You mention the payment being an apology… does it involve the Takase's?"

"Mmhmm" Sadayo nodded, rubbing her eyes as she continued on. "They said that they were going to to sue me, as well as make the whole thing public by talking issue to the media and the Board of Education. They couldn't really accuse me of any crime, but if they had done so it would had ruined the school, as well as anyone working there. And even with all of that, I still wanted to continue teaching, no matter what." Sadayo placed Morgana to the side as she straighten herself, she would find out soon how Akira would see her in this new light. She was scared at how things would go, but needed to make it through and braced herself for what ever happens next. "So we came to an agreement.. I would pay them the 'apology' money, and they wouldn't sue me, or say anything.

"And you're okay with that?!" Akira's tone sounded a bit more agitated that he intended, which caused Sadayo's chest to tightened up more, before nodding and continuing on.

"Yes… At the end of the day, it was my flimsy desire to help Takase that killed him, and everyday I blame myself for what happened to him." Sadayo gripped at her chest.. "I know that paying them isn't going to bring him back, but it's the only way I can atone for my sin, not that it matter in the end. Even after I gave in to the school's and the Takase's demands, I was still forced out the school, so even abandoning Takase-kun was for nothing. It was only by luck that I managed to get hired in Shujin..."

Sadayo gave pause, and after a moment of silence she stood up to face a conflicted looking Akira, and seeing the way he was lost in thought Sadayo did her best to smile. "You see now? Nothing good will come with getting involved with me. I have to keep my distance so that I can avoid from hurting others, I can't meddle in my students lives or else I'll betray them. This goes especially for you."

"What do you mean by that?" Akira asked, figuring what she meant, but wanting to hear her reasoning.

"I've been coming here because of a random twist of fate, but we should probably say goodbye as well. You're in a worse situation than even Takase-kun. You have a record, you're in probation, and you were already so close from getting expelled once. There is no way I'd be able to do anything to help you if something happened… I'm more likely to just abandon you like I did Takase-kun. Because that's the kind of person I am." She did her best to sound cheerful, but she was afraid of Akira would think of her and didn't want to stay any longer. "Goodbye Kurusu-kun" As she gave a curtsy she turned away and started quickly walking down the steps.

"W-wait a minute, Becky! Dammit, not again..." Akira groans, as he got up giving chase. As she continued to walk down he was able to catch up and grabbed hold of her her hand. "Just... wait." Sadayo turned to face him, nervous at what he might say next. "I mean… Don't I get a say in this?

Sadayo looked shock at what her student was suggestion, but was still hesitant as she looked away. "What's there to say? It will be better for you if we end this. I abandoned my student to save my skin and yet have the gall to continue teaching after that. I lied to you and used you to make my payments. I can't think of any reason for why you'd want to keep requesting me, let alone being around me."

Akira made sure to make his smile known to her as he gently lifted her chin to face him."Don't you remember what I told you, if you wish to stop coming than you're free to refuse…." He slowly let go of her hand, as he gives her a welcoming smile. "But I want to keep seeing you, so I'll continue to request and support you. I mean…." he stepped back and paused for a second, playing with one of his bangs as he looked away, with a hint of red in his cheeks. "Shouldn't a master help his maid, as should a maid be by her master's side?" He said as he turned back to Sadayo, giving her a reassuring grin.

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo was left speechless at Akira's response, her cheeks once again colored pink as a mixture of emotion swirling inside her. Amusement, confusion, flustered, frustration, nervousness, she even felt a bit of heat brought out by his words and gesture, and finally… relief. After a moment of silence it was finally broken to the sounds of her bursting out laughing, much to Akira's surprise.

"What kind of response is that? I mean, how am I supposed to respond to that…? She continued to laugh, as she grabbed her side with her left hand while trying to muffle it with her right. "I mean- that sounded more like a confession." Her laughter slowly subsides, wiping a tear from her eye as she lets out a satisfied sigh. "You really need to be more aware about how you say things."

Akira's face was flushed a he looked upward, embarrassed at her reaction as he could hear Morgana laughing in the background. "S-sorry… I guess I got caught up in the moment." He exhaled as he turn to Sadayo, a serious look in his face which caught the maid off guard. "But I still stand that I want to continue to help you… if you will let me."

"You really aren't the type to back down, are you?" As she looked up at the person that was in front of her, she couldn't help but smile as she fingers fidgeted with one another.

"So I take it that our deal is still going?" Akira said as he returned her smile with one of his own.

Sadayo let out a giggle as she nods in agreement. "Well… Even after I told me you story, you're still here, so I guess we're in this together. isn't that right, master?

Akira chuckles as he returns her nod. "That's right.

"Yay!" She said with a small cheer. "Then Becky look forward to continuing her relationship with master."

For the first time in a while, the cheerfulness she showcased wasn't forced, but genuine. She still felt a number of worries, stresses and fears, but as Akira reinstated his desire to still see her, she felt like a bit of that weight had been lifted.

As she gives one big stretch, she took a seat at one of the stools. "So... now that we've got an understanding, what do you wish to do for the rest of the night?"

"I thought you were just going to leave after we finished talking?" Akira remarked. Surprised, yet amused by her change of plans.

"I mean it's still raining outside isn't it. Besides, weren't you the one that said that a maid should be by her master' side." As she wagged her finger playfully at him. "And if I remember correctly you requested me for two hour as your maid, or are you throwing me out in the cold after everything you said?"

"She's got you there Joker." Morgana snickered as he sat on the stool in front of Sadayo.

"See, even Morgana agrees with me." Sadayo lean as she petted Morgana's head like she learned last time.

"Since when could maids speak cat?" Akira shook his head, knowing full well that there was no way she she could understand Morgana, even if she was right in her assessment.

"Well I'm good with cats, so I'm sure he would like me to stay, isn't that right Morgana?

"Meeeowww….Whyyy…. why did you teach her that…?" Morgana protested on deaf ears as Sadayo continued to play with him, while Akira ignored his plight.

"Guess your right." Akira scratched the back of his head as he went to grab his apron. "Want fix you to drink? I honestly didn't have any plans afterwards so I don't mind talking a bit more."

Sadayo let up on Morgana, causing him to flee as she turned to face the counter. "If that is what master wants..." She rested her arm on the counter, placing her head over her forearms as she attentively watched him work. She's seen him do the process and as she continued to do so started to wonder if she would be able to do so herself if she tried, wondering what preference he would have. A warm feeling stated to grow in her chest as she saw him work, and after while spoke up.

"Hey… Kurusu-kun."

"Yeah..." Akira respond, maintaining his focus on his brewing.

"Thank you..."

Akira stopped for second before turning to give her smile of confidence. "It's nothing, I don't mind making coffee for you. As boss says, there is a sense of joy and satisfaction in seeing others satisfied."

"Yeah… I guess that's true." Sadayo giggle at his response and let him continue. Whether he didn't fully understand what she meant, or knew and simply feigned ignorance didn't matter to her. What matter was that in that moment, the world feels a bit more softer… A bit more kinder... and a bit more loving...


	8. Chapter 7

**I don't own these characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

"And that will be the last of today's announcements. Don't forget to hand in your assignments, I'm not accepting any late hand-ins."

The bell had just rung, signaling the end of homeroom period. Sadayo was gathering her stuff as the class representative collected everyone's assignments and handed them to her. As she was about to leave she took notice of Makoto waiting outside of the class room, signaling Akira to come closer to which he seemed to happily comply. This caught her by surprise as she blinked in disbelief _'_ _When did those two start socializing with one another. D_ _id something happen?'_ _As she finished packing she left her classroom and proceeded to the stair, but as she caught wind of their conversation_ Sadayo stopped by the stairs as she proceeded to listen in on the two.

"You holding up okay Makoto?" Akira asked.

"I'm a bit tired and my body is still sore in certain areas, but honestly I feel great." Makoto responded, sounding quite satisfied. "It was actually kind of refreshing being able to cut loose like that."

"It can be quite cathartic at times, I give you that."

' _Tired? Cutting loose? What_ _does_ _s_ _he mean by cutting loose_ _?'_ Sadayo's curiosity only increased by the second as she wondered what exactly was her trouble student doing with the student council president. She took a peek and noticed how both of them were acting very comfortable with each other, both of them seemed tired, but relaxed around one another.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" Akira asked.

Makoto looked to the side, making Sadayo to move back in a panic, making sure not to be seen. "I was wondering if you would come with me after school, there's something I want to ask you about."

"Sure, it's probably a good idea to take a breather before we do another go at it.." Akira nodded.

"Very well. Then I'll meet you in front of the student council room after class."

With what seemed to be the end of their conversation Sadayo was quick to make her exit. For the rest of the day she found herself going back and forth between trying to figure out what exactly the two of them had been talking about, wondering if it had anything to those 'Extracurricular Activities' that he had mentioned a couple of days ago. Sadly but any kind of progress was always halted as she was quick to remind herself that it was none of her business. As she tried to put those thought behind her as she was leaving school, she overheard two girls talking in the hall, the topic of their conversation catching her interest.

"Hey, did you hear that the council president was calling for Kurusu-kun this morning? And apparently they met up after class"

"Wow, she must be really brave, considering all those stories about him. I wonder why though? They seemed way friendlier than I'd expect."

"Do you think that they're going out? Maybe she's into those dangerous 'Bad Boy' types."

"Isn't he also with that blonde chick though? I mean this is **miss** honor student, and he has an **actual** assault case. Who'd want to associate themselves with someone like him."

Sadayo cleared her throat, catching both girls by surprise as they turn to face her.

"If you have free time, you should probably spend it on something more productive than making up more useless rumors. I have enough of them to deal with already as it is, so don't go making things more difficult for me." Her annoyance was very clear, netting her both a glare and an eye roll as both girls walked away.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry for causing you _so_ much trouble teach. We'll be heading out now" the insincerity in one of the girl's voice did not go amiss, as she waved her hand in disinterest.

As soon as they were gone Sadayo let out a groan as she scratched her head in frustration. "Why did I have to go and do that..." She let out a sigh and walked towards the window, and when she looked out, she was able to see both Akira and Makoto as they left the school. From where she was, they seemed to be enjoying themselves in conversation, Sadayo couldn't remember the last time Makoto ever socialized with her peers like she was doing now, usually keeping to her studies and responsibilities.

Try as she might to avoid doing so, she thought back to what one of the girls had mentioned and the conversation Akira and Makoto had this morning, as an idea that she shouldn't be considering beginning to form.

"Could they really be...dating?" As those words left her lips, a sense of unease swelled in her chest, and she wrapped her arms around herself, turning away from the window.

* * *

Sadayo didn't have time for such baseless conclusions. She hated rumors likes those and was frustrated that she ever gave what those girls where talking about the time of day. She cleared her mind of such thoughts as she went straight to her apartment to get ready before gathering the neighbors' dogs and taking them for a walk for some extra cash. After so many days of rain, the days have become much hotter, and while her usually attire is usually fine for her to day to day activities, she rather have something a bit more breathable and mobile when dealing with the dogs. She wore a yellow long shirt that slowly shifted to red as it went down, a comfortable pair of worn jeans and some white sneakers. She also tied a gray cardigan around her waist, she didn't expect to need cause of how hot it was outside, but after that one incident where she got stuck indoors with the dogs and freezing cold AC as it rained outside, she figured it was best to be prepared for next time.

While walking her neighbors dogs wasn't the most profitable of her jobs, it was one of the few things she could do that didn't stress her out considerably. Her night job as a maid alone was bad enough, but even her job at the convenience store had her worried at time, even if Ms. Chouno had stopped interrogating her about her life outside of school. With dog walking, she could simply wave it as her helping her neighbors, and it had admittedly allowed her to be in good standing with most of them which made it easier on her not having to worry about someone being too nosy and finding her leaving in a maid outfit. It was hard at first as she tried wrangling all the dogs at once, from her next door neighbor's skittish Pomeranian to the man down the street's headstrong Labrador. But as the years went by she got a good understanding and started to appreciate the fact that there was no rush, no uncomfortable glares, no orders to take, no sense of uneasiness and no reason to hide. In a way it was a breath of fresh for her just as much as it was for the dogs, and while she still preferred fishing for when she wanted to relax, this was a nice alternative which also got her paid.

As she continue to wander by the side walk, leashes in hand, her mind continued to back to what she said at school. _'_ _Clearly I'm overthinking this._ _I mean they_ _had no idea what they where talking about._ _They where thinking out loud, there's no real signs or proof anyway._ _'_

"But, then again..."

As Sadayo attempted to refute such claim, a thought came to her mind as she stopped. "There was that one time where Nijima-san had me tell Kurusu-kun that she wanted to see him, And on Monday she seemed really out of it, and ended up running after Kurusu-kun. Could the reason she called to meet with him was to confess to him? But that doesn't mean that they are dating, they simply could simply be friends." _'_ _But what about_ _that discussion_ _that they had this morning._ _They way they where talking, it sounded like they had_ _._ _..'_ Sadayo face turned bright red before she even finished her thought as she shook her head. "No! There is no way they'd be talking about something like that in the open. And why am I thinking of that?" She ruffled her hair as she let out a groan, and unable to make sense of her thoughts stopping to crouch down and let out an exasperated sigh as her head hung forward. "Seriously, what is wrong with me...?"

Lost in her thought she hadn't noticed as her hand had loosened up and suddenly felt a tug as the dogs noticed something. Bringing her self back to reality she attempted to get a hold of the leashes once more, but before she could close her hand, three of the dogs manged to escape her grip. "OH NO, come back here!" Sadayo stood up and gave chase, unable to keep up as they gained more and more distance from her. As they turned the corner she heard something in the distance.

"What in the-!?"

Turning the corner, she found that the three dogs were trying to pile up on a very familiar student that was sitting on the ground while trying to keep them at bay.

"Kurusu-kun?!" She said in shock, all the while keeping a strong grip at the remaining dogs who seem just as interested to join in on the pile.

Akira looked at a surprised Sadayo. "Hey Ms. Kawakami…" He replied, with an awkward smile. "Fancy running into you."

"Yeah-I mean what are- Why are you-?"

"Before anything else, could I get some help?" Akira requested as the dogs prevented him from getting up.

"OH! Right, sorry." Sadayo proceeded to grab the loose dogs' leashes and pull them away. Still, why are they so interested in you?"

"Those dogs are after me! They better keep their distance or I'll scratch their eyes out!." Morgana Yelled as he hid in Akira's bag, causing Sadayo to look around in confusion.

"Did you hear a cat just now?"

"Nope, not at all. Must be imagining things." Akira hastily refuted as he got up, jerking his bag to signal Morgana to keep quiet. "They probably smell some of the jerky that I have."

"If you says so... Calm down boys." It took a while but Sadayo was able to calm the dogs and turned to her student. "Still, I wasn't expecting to run into you," She shot him a suspicions glare "You aren't following me are you? I thought you were spending time with Nijima-san today?"

"And how do you know of that?" Akira asked curiously, leaning forward to meet his teacher eyes as he showed a mischievous grin. "I don't recall ever mentioning anything like that, Sensei"

"Umm, w-well..." Her eyes widened as she realized she revealed herself to quickly once again, looking away as she stuttered to give an explanation. "Well, I-I was looking at the window, a-and then I saw the both of you talking as you walked out. It just caught me by surprise you know. I-I mean like a week ago she was calling for you to meet up with her cause of some reason you weren't sure of, and now you seem to be getting along well, so I guess it was just a bit confusing."

Akira's grin closed to a smirk. "Yo know for someone who doesn't pay attention to her student's lives, you seem to notice a lot of things."

"Even I notice some things, I'm not that oblivious..." her sentence drifted not fully confident in her excuse. If she really wasn't as oblivious as she was stating, she would had noticed the signs sooner on what was going on with a number of her students, instead she simply refused to notice things. No… there was another reason for way she was being much more aware of what was happening.

Akira could tell that the discussion was bothering her by the troubled look on Sadayo's face. While he enjoyed teasing her, his intentions were never to cause her any discomfort. Backing away, he grabbed the back of his neck as he let out a long breath. "Sorry, I know you mean well... She asked me for some help since she wants to better understand her fellow students more and do a better job as President. When I suggested giving the arcade a try she asked if I could accompany her since she's never been to one before, so I figured I'd help out."

"You two seem quite close now, if she's trusting you to come with her. When did that happen?" Sadayo snarked back at Akira as she pouted.

"What can I say, it has been a crazy couple of days. A lot of stuff had happened, and we kind of ended finding out that we have a number of things in common." Akira could tell that Sadayo seemed annoyed by something, whether it was cause of his teasing or from other reasons he wasn't sure. He hadn't been expecting to run into her and could tell that Morgana was trying to tell him that they should leave. "Anyway, I should be heading back. Don't want to interrupt you while your working after all." he was on his way off when...

"Wait..." Sadayo interjected, looking shyly to the side as she continued. "It's true that I should finish doing my round before their owners start to worry, but I don't mind if we continue our talk while we walk." A slight blush appeared on her cheeks as she finished her request.

Akira seemed to be caught off-guard by her suggestion, turning to face her once more. "Are you sure you're okay with that? I wouldn't want to cause you any problems if-"

"It's fine, I mean we just ran into each other, it's not that hard to imagine this kind of situation happening." Sadayo notice that Akira looked a bit worried as he contemplated his choice. "Sorry, it's okay if you don't want to. You probably have other plans and I'm just keeping you here."

"I never said I didn't want to." Akira looked at the his teacher as she waited for his response. "Sure, I think I can squeeze you into my schedule." He responded with a smile.

"Well aren't I lucky." Sadayo responded sarcastically, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she got up.

"Then lead the way." Akira gave her courteous bow as she signal her to take the lead.

"Of course, mast-" Sadayo suddenly stopped herself from finishing what she was about to say as she looked away. _'Shoot, I've been so used to_ _only_ _being around_ _him_ _outside of school_ _as a maid_ _that it almost slipped out.'_ She glanced back at Akira who, while wearing his signature smirk, though he refrained from commenting. While she was grateful that he was showing restraint in public, it caused her to feel a bit embarrassed that he knew what she was about to say. As She cleared her throat in an attempt to save face, she moved forward. "A-anyway, let's keep going."

While Sadayo wanted to continue their conversation, the two where silent for a good portion of their walk together, neither attempting to start a conversation. She may had said that it was fine, but it didn't stop her from being nervous about running into anyone else that might recognize them both, especially with him still wearing his school uniform.. She did mean it when she said that it shouldn't be a problem, but her previous experience caused her to be a lot more paranoid than she should be. In the end though, she was the one that asked for his company, company which she enjoyed spending time with, especially after the events of last Friday's.

They had gotten so enthralled in their discussion that night, that she had lost track of time and managed to stay longer than either of them had planned. But thinking back to it, the conversation always focused about her. About her day, her jobs, and while fishing was sometimes brought up, but very rarely does the topic focus on him. Any time it did, he was quick to change topics or give only the vaguest of answers. It didn't cross her mind at first as she was just satisfied to have someone to talk and vent to, but recently she couldn't help think about her young benefactor. She knew about the circumstances that led to his criminal record, and as of recently was able to see first hand how things were for him at school; Both the good and the bad. When it came to his day to day outside of the school though, she knew surprisingly little.

He was residing with Sojiro Sakura, or more specifically, at his coffee shop, he seemed to be helping him around at times and learning from him, but that was it. Why was he not staying at Sojiro's residence. When she first saw his living arrangement he seemed fine with it, but was he really? He had mentioned doing part time jobs as well, but considering how frequently he requested her and how much it must cost him to do so, the specifics of such jobs were quite mysterious. She might see him everyday at school, and they might talk together in private, but the reality of it all was that she really hadn't bothered to learn about him, something that she wanted to change.

Knowing that there was little distance left in her walk, she gathered up her resolve and called for her student's attention. "Hey… Kurusu-kun. I've been meaning to ask but, is there any reason that you're living at the attic of Sakura-san's shop?"

"I honestly have no idea." Akira responded without a second thought, keeping his gaze ahead of him.

"Seriously?!" Sadayo quickly turned towards Akira in shock, the statement making her stop in her tracks, which caused Akira to halt as well. Worried that she might had drawn a bit more attention she asked Akira to follow her. She led them to a small resting spot in a park, she'd usually stop here to pick up a drink from the vending machine and sit for a bit while the dogs' leashes tied to a nearby pole. Having company with her this time she offered him something as he placed his bag to the side. After handing him his drink she took a sit beside him to continue their discussion. "You're not kidding, are you…?"

"Nope, as soon as I arrived I was led to a dirty and completely discarded attic and told to clean up cause that's where I'd be sleeping."

"And you were _**okay**_ with that?" There was a hint of frustration in Sadayo's voice, but tone was more curious than anything else, considering what he had previously told her about his living arrangement.

"Of course not… I mean who would be? But I didn't have a choice on the matter. One of the requirements for my probation was that I continue my schooling, but I had already been expelled from my previous school. My parents tried their best to find another school that would take me, but almost all of them refused me right away without giving us time to explain. We managed to find Shujin but it was all the way in Tokyo which meant that I'd have to leave home."

Akira ran his hand over his hair, a bit of his frustration showing in his eyes. "We had no relatives that lived here, or even direct acquaintances, and since they needed someone to keep a watch over me during probation, me going on my own was out of the question even if I wanted to." Akira gave a half-hearted chuckle as he thought back to those days. "I'd honestly had given up even trying after a while. Things just weren't going our way and I didn't see the point of continuing to try. My fate was already sealed I had become a criminal that everyone wanted gone so why not get it over with. Figured everyone would be much happier with me gone." Akira rubbed the back of his head as he smiled. "Got a hard smack on my head and a lecture from my old man for even considering that."

Sadayo snickered at the prospect of Akira being lectured by his father. "Sounds like your parents still had faith in you."

"Yeah, We managed to luck out when a friend of the family came to us with good news. My mother had complained to him previously about what was going on and in one of his trips to Tokyo he asked around on a particular coffee shop that he tends to frequent whenever he comes over here for one of his business trips. To our surprise, he told us that the owner of the coffee shop was willing to offer lodging during my probation. I really wasn't sure about the whole thing, sounded way too good to be true if you asked me. But my parents encouraged me to give it a shot, a fresh start of a sorts. The staff may know of my situation, but at least the students wouldn't. That way I'd at least wold have some semblance of a regular school life."

"But that's not how it went..." Sadayo interjected dejectedly.

Akira lead out a long sigh as he leaned back on the bench. "Yeah… as soon as arrived the Leblanc I was put in a dingy attic and was constantly reminded of my 'mistake'. For a good while I could only go out for school and nothing else so it still felt like a prison of sorts. My information got leaked out and because of that everyone knew about my record before my first day at school had ended, so those hopes were dashed relatively quick, and I'm sure you remember the rest." Akira turned to look with Sadayo, a bit of a smile in his face showing. "Actually, I remember a certain someone chewing me out non stop for the remainder of the day." His tone was much more calmer and playful, as if letting her know that he wasn't saying this in anger or frustration.

"Well what did you expect?" Sadayo responded defensively, as she poked his chest "Even without your probation, did you really think that arriving that late on your first day was going to win you any favors? Not to mention your excuse wasn't very convincing."

"And why do you say that?" Akira said, challenging his teacher's statement as he place his hand to block her prodding finger.

"Well for one, when I let Sakura-san know about it he sounded frustrated that he had wasted time confirming with you about the routes you were to take to get to school, and that you had left early enough that even if there was a delay, you shouldn't have been that late, plus we would had probably gotten a notification about it."

"Wouldn't that had happened after class, don't see how that would cause you to be annoyed with my reasoning."

"Well it didn't help!" Sadayo pulled back for a bit, as her face changed from annoyed to a more solemn look as she let out a sigh. "Honestly… The reason why I could tell was cause you looked you had been in a fight when you arrived to the Teacher's office." Sadayo took another sip. Buying herself some time as she thought back to that day. "I didn't think much of it at the time. With what I had heard about about and after hearing you put up an excuse like that with those injuries... I just figured that you had simply gone off looking for trouble and only came to school so you could say that you did. If anything it just confirmed my thoughts that you where going to be nothing but trouble and I was frustrated that I was the one that had to deal with you. It didn't help that you seem disoriented after class. I mean you were asking if the school was some sort of castle." Suddenly Sadayo was caught by surprised as Akira seemed to be laughing, she was reminded of the night in which he found out she was a maid and was starting to feel a bit self conscious for some reason as she cheeks turned red. "What's so funny?!"

"Sorry, it's not you…" Akira took a deep breath as he looked downward. He was smiling, but his face seemed melancholic to her his right hand squeezing his left. "It's just that looking back, I can't blame you for thinking that way. By that point I had honestly stopped caring about how people saw me. I didn't trust anyone around me and was simply going through the motions." He turned to face her giving her a curious look with a cocky smile. "I was just surprised to hear that you noticed those injuries. I was surprised you didn't question me more on those so I thought that you hadn't noticed them, but it turned out you had all along."

"I told you already didn't I, I'm not that oblivious."Sadayo eyes avoided direct contact with his. "I just didn't want to get involved in whatever situation you had gotten yourself into. I was tired of waiting and just wanted to get the introduction over and done with it.

"Well be that as it may, I was honestly glad you didn't ask me about it, so thanks for that..."

Sadayo pouted as she mumbled to herself. "Don't think it's worth thanking. I just acted like I knew nothing, just like I do all my students."

She wasn't fully sure what his intentions were in thanking her, he could honestly be doing so, or it could be teasing her on how much of a terrible teacher she is. He was hard to read sometimes and even after all the time they've spent together, she is unable to fully understand why he does the things that he does, but even with all of that, there has been one constant in his actions since there deal had started, he'd always been kind to her. He may tease her at time and act like a completely brat, but he other than that first night, he's never acted in any way that she could consider malicious. As a hint of a smile formed on her face, she decided to trust that what he is saying. With that in mind though, this has left her once again wondering about the boy by her side.

"So what did happen that day?"

"That day...?" Akira was caught of guard by the sudden question that had been asked of him. Since he hadn't been asked about his injuries back then he hadn't bothered to think of a good story and was caught by surprise. He subtlety shuffled his bag, signaling Morgana for a distraction as he tried to feign innocence. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. It's clear that it wasn't just you being late, something happened to you and Sakamoto-kun on the way to school." Sadayo right hand grabbed on to her left arm as she continued on. "I know I wasn't the most understanding person back then, I probably wouldn't had believe anything that didn't directly incriminate you and if it did I would had taken that chance and reported it to get you off my hands, so I get that you had to lie to avoid trouble. I get that, but..." She turned to face Akira, a look of determination showing. "But it's different now. I know I'm not worth much as a teacher so I can't do much for you other than some free time, but I want to help out in anyway I can. You always listen to my problems, so I wish to be there for you as well. I want you to know that I'm here if you need someone to talk to..." Sadayo voice trailed off as her determination drained from her face as her lack of confidence took root. "Or... is it something that you can't talk to me about? I know I haven't done much to earn you're trust so, so I can't blame you."

Akira felt a sharp pain in his chest as he saw Sadayo waver and retract herself after showing such a determined look just a few minutes ago. She could tell she was genuine in her desire to help him out and was thankful for it, but telling what transpired that day is not something he could simply due. While he wish he could tell her, now was not the time, if there ever was one at all. "It's that easy sadly, A lot of stuff happened and I-"

Before he could finished, He heard a familiar scream behind Sadayo. As they turned they saw that all the dogs were pulling at their leashes as they barked into the bushes, clearly agitated by something.

"Okay I'm definitely heard a cat that time, think it might had spooked them all."

"They're getting kinda restless, probably a good idea to take them back to their owners." Akira quickly interjected, breathing a mental sigh of relief as he reminded himself to pick something up for Morgana on the way home as thanks.

Sadayo turned to him, a hint of suspension showing in her face could be seen in her face though only for a second as she gave a defeated sigh. "Yeah… probably for the best." She stood as she patted the dust off from where she was sitting and was about to walk forward.

"Kawakami..."

Sadayo stopped as she slowly turned towards Akira, still siting on the bench looking regretful.

"Sorry… If it was just about me I'd be fine, but there are a lot of things that I have to consider, and a lot to unpack, so I can't tell you just yet." He raised his heads and stood up a serious look in his eyes which pierced into her and caused her goosebumps. "But you told me a while back that you trust me, right? So I want you to know that I do trust you as well. It might take some time, and that time may never come, I just hope that you can be patient."

Sadayo returned his gaze with one of her own, a bit of disappoint in her eyes. Part of her wanted to correct him once more about using calling her name without using a Prefix like he had done when they ran into each other at the fishing pond, but the fact that he called out to her not as his teacher, or the maid name Becky, but as her own person… It felt very welcoming and she didn't want to ruin it.

She gave him a sad smile, the last rays of the sun coloring the sky like the shirt that she was wearing. "I don't get what you see in me that's worth trusting, but thank you. It means a lot to me that you do."

For the rest of the walk home Sadayo remained quiet, not out of fear or nervousness like earlier, but simply taking in the moment. She turned to look at the boy walking next to her once more and couldn't help but smile. She was a bit sad that he continued keep what had happened on that day a secret, and was admittedly worried of what kind of situation must it had been. But in the end he had opened up a tiny bit more to her. He usually acted like he's fine, but he clearly still had wounds for what had happened to him, yet it never stopped him from doing what he felt was right. The more she learned about him, the more she grew to admire him.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Akira asked in the midst of a chuckle as he notice the smile on his teacher's face. One that he found quite charming.

"It's nothing, just…. You're really amazing, you know that?"

A streak of red showed on Akira's face as he scratched his cheek with his finger, unable to look at Sadayo. "I'm not as great as you make me out to be. I mean I was really close to-"

"Looks like we're here."

Akira stopped at the corner as they arrived near her apartment complex. Considering Sadayo's money situation, he had wondered if she had any problems with her living expenses and was relieved to see that while not the prettiest building, it seemed like a decent place and probably one he would had been looking into if he had been permuted to live on his own.

Sadayo turned to Akira as they hid behind the corner leading to her apartment, not wanting anyone to see them together. "Well, this is where we part ways… Thank you for coming with me, I know you probably had other things you could have done.."

"It's was nothing, and I'm sorry for bringing up all that depressing stuff."

Sadayo shook her head. "Don't be, I meant what I said about wanting to help you." Her hands moved as they grab hold of her arms, making sure to keep hold of her leashes. "I feels like I'm the only one who's really been benefiting from our deal and that is not fair to you, so if you need help with anything, even if needing someone to talk to, I want to help."

Akira did his best to hid the smile showing in his face as he looked to the side. As he thought about his plans for the evening. "Thanks, I can think of a few things, but I'd understand if you didn't want to. But, I could use some help with my laundry..."

Sadayo blinked. "Laundry?"

* * *

' _So he was serious about the laundry...'_

Sadayo just looked around the laundromat in disinterest as Akira starting up two loads of laundry. A look that he noticed when he turned to her.

"Is something the matter?"

Sadayo gave a noticeable huff. "It's nothing, just guess this is all I'm good for."

"That's not it." Akira said awkwardly. Looking at the two washing machines as he grabbed the back of his neck. "I've just been meaning to do a wash, but I've been so busy and haven't had the time to do so. You asked if there was anything you could do to help so I figured why not ask." He turned to towards Sadayo "I know it's not the most thrilling but-" Akira's words were halted as Sadayo placed her finger over his lips, a bit of a smirk formed on her lips.

Giggling at the sight her usually confident master, Sadayo interjected. "I was only joking... mostly. If this is what you need my help with then just leave it to me master." She said, pumping her fist determinedly.

Akira gave a sigh of relief. "As long as you're okay with it. But before I go, I need to let you know that-"

"What? It's just laundry. Even I can do this without much trouble. I've done other customer's laundry so I'm not going to freak out about your underwear." Sadayo said with a pout, and before he could say anything she went behind him and pushed him away while he tried to interject. "I got things here covered here, so you go take care of your things, have some fun. You're still young after all." Once she managed to get him out, she gave him a warm smile as he turned to face her. "Just remember that tonight's a school night so don't stay up for too long, okay master?"

Akira open his mouth in wanting to say something, but decided to give up and shook his head. "Thanks, I'll be sure to come back as soon as I'm done. Speaking of which..." Akira reached out to his pocket and held Sadayo's hand up as he handed her something. "I don't want you staying out here the whole time, so here."

Sadayo looked down to see that she was holding a key. She was perplexed at first, wondering why he had handed her a key, but soon caught wind of what it might be. "This is..."

"The key to Leblanc. Boss just left a while ago so feel free to wait for me inside once everything is done."

"Are you sure about this?" Sadayo said in a panic. "I-I mean, you don't normally give the key's of your house to just anyone, especially since they belong to someone else."

Akira nodded. "I sure, I already explained myself earlier today didn't I. I trust you as well." And with that Akira turned and ran off as he waved goodbye. "I'm counting on you Becky!"

Sadayo's free hand instinctively reached out to him before she stopped herself. Her cheeks blushing as she looked down at the proof of Akira's trust in her in her hand before closing it and holding it close to her chest. "You just had get the last word in, didn't you? Guess I'll take a seat and wait for the wash to finish."

As Sadayo puts away the key for safekeeping in a handbag that she brought with her, she went and took a seat on the corner. Normally when she did the laundry during her maid job, it would always be on top of doing something else, so it was kind of an odd situation that she found herself where she simply needed to wait and keep watch. Figuring that she would be here for a while, she takes out a book that she had in her bag and began reading. It was the latest romance novel that had been released by Airi Himura, an author she had found out about two years ago and had been following since. Their releases were sporadic, but she found them entertaining and sometimes even engrossing.

"The book in particular focused on the heir to a multi-million business, and a small flower shop owner. He was considered the black sheep of the family, and his father was planning to use him for a political marriage so that he could take advantage of the merger between the two families. But in on his way to meet the selected woman he stopped by a flower shop where he met the owner, a widow who was running her late husband's shop all alone, and it was love at first sight for the man. She rebuffed him at first, acting cold and distant, but he continued to visit and even started working part time. They slowly got to know one another and she began to open up to him, but the date where he was to be engaged was drawing near and he had to decided if he was willing to risk his status, wealth, and probably his relationship with his family to be with the one he loved."

Figuring things where going to get interesting soon Sadayo decided to stop for now, Taking a deep breath as she closed her book. "Must be nice… having someone falling for you like that. To have that strong a yearning for someone, that they are willing to risk everything. I can't imagine what it must be like." She was so lost in her daydreams, that she didn't even notice the lady that was entering the shed, unfortunately for her, she took notice of her and was suddenly was brought down by an unfamiliar voice.

"A maid doing laundry, not something you see often these days."

Sadayo snapped as she took notice of the person in front of her. A woman with short black hair, wearing a leather jacket over turquoise blouse with what seem to be a spider's web pattern on the side. She wore a studded collar with some ornamental jewelry and long boots over shredded stockings. Her appearance alone would be intimidating to Sadayo normally, but the fact that she seemed amused only made her even more nervous.

Recovering her composure, Sadayo gave her a wide smile. "Oh, it's nothing really. Becky's just doing some cleaning for her master. Hope that it's not a bother."

"That so? Well it bothers me none, I'm just here do a small wash so don't mind me." The woman said with a chuckle that felt like she had something in mind.

"Of course!" And as timed perfectly the washing machine's timer had ended. "Speaking of which it seems they are done with the wash. If you'll excuse me..." She said gave the woman a curtsy as she continued her Becky persona. _'And I was really hoping no one would come her this late. At least it's someone that doesn't know who I am, It'll be exhausting, but I just have to keep this act until the dryers are done and then I make my way.'_ Sadayo thought to herself as she started loading Akira's clothing, trying to avoid thinking about the fact that there was another person here.

It started simple enough, as she collected all sorts of articles of clothing, from his school uniform, some shirts, vests and the occasional underwear and socks, and found herself surprise at how little there was _. 'Strange, with two machines going I suspected a much bigger load.'_ As she opened up the second machine, her questions only increased as the contents seemed like they where from a completely different person. _'What's in here? Why is there a golden vest in here, this underwear looks nothing like what he had in th_ _e_ _other and..."_ As Sadayo raised to find what was some camisoles. _'Isn't this women's clothing!?_ _Why would he have women's clothing unless...'_ Sadayo face become bright red at the thought, part of her wondering if she had actually mis-remembered Akira starting both machines, which caught the woman's attention.

"Is something the matter? You seem quite flushed." She asked with curious eyes.

"NOPE, EVERYTHING FINE!" Sadayo refuted, forcing her smile once more as she quickly dumped the clothing back to hide it and then proceeding to fan herself with her hand. "It's just so humid tonight, it's got Becky all bothered."

"Really? It's kind of refreshing actually." She said, clearly not fooled on her act. "Not getting sick are we?"

"Nope, I'm all good. Becky's a resilient girl." She said putting up a peace sign.

A chuckle escaped the woman's lips, going back to the reasons she had come.. "Well whatever, just don't go fainting on me."

Sadayo simply nodded as she proceeds to gather as much of the clothing as possible. In her hurry to drop it in though, a piece of clothing fell to the ground with a metallic clink and as she look down her eyes widen and was left speechless to find it was a black studded leather top. Her hand immediately reached out to grab it and threw it into the dryer as fast as she could, causing a large thud to come out of the machine causing the woman to look back in confusion.

"I'm sorry, think I dropped it in a bit too hard. Becky's such a scatterbrain sometimes." Sadayo feign a giggle as he playfully hit herself in the head.

"If you say so." Once again, the woman's tone seemed to suggest that he wasn't sold on her excuse. Luckily she also didn't seem interested enough to enquirer more. "Anyway I'm done in here for now so I'll be heading back for. Don't go catching a cold, rather not have any more work piled up on me."

"Ooookay… Sure thing. Have a nice evening." Sadayo waved, confused at what she meant by work pilling up but nevertheless happy to see her off. Once she was sure that woman was gone Sadayo slumped down on her chair like a deflated balloon. "Geeeeeez was that exhausting. It's hard enough acting like that for a customer, it's even harder doing so around a complete stranger." Sadayo turned her head towards the dryers, as the constant clanging reminding her at what is causing such a ruckus. "He better have a really good reason for this. What was with all that weird clothing." Sadayo let out a loud sigh as she felt a headache begin forming. "No point complaining about it now. All I can do now is wait it out."

With that Sadayo took out her book once more and engrossed herself in it. She hid it and prepared herself when she heard the washer ding for the other woman, expecting her arrival once more, which was fortunately much more brief, and easier on her. Once the dryers were done she quickly piled off his clothing and made sure no one was around when she opened the lock to Leblanc and went it quietly. She had come here couple of times already, but entering when it was empty was quiet odd. Either she would go upstairs to where Akira was, or he'd be waiting for her downstairs for her arrival. Having the place all to herself, Sadayo couldn't help but take her time to look around.

The first thing she took notice off was the painting to her right, one that she had glanced the last couple of times she had come, but was to busy with other stuff to fully take notice. "This… is Saiyuri, isn't it? But it has her holding a child. OH!" Sadayo was suddenly reminded back to the teacher's meeting a while ago as well as Madarame's confession that was being discussed. "Didn't they say that it turned out that Sayuri had actually tampered with. I wonder if this is someone's attempt of recreating the Original." As she looked at it close, Sadayo couldn't help but give a sad smile, as an ache in her heart started to form. "Still… when I look at this painting, I feel really sad, but also calm. Who ever did this must have put a lot of heart into it. I wonder if Kurusu-kun knows anything about it? I'll have to ask him."

Her curiosity now piqued at what other things she could find she took the laundry basket with her and proceeded to head upstairs to Akira's quarters. She remembered how it look during her first visit. It was dusty and with barely anything to make his own. But as she came up to look around it seemed much colorful. As she left the basket by the table where what she figured where his notebooks for school, she noticed what seemed to be a poster of Sapphire. It was a movie that had premier recently and was talked about a lot for staring the idol Rise. She'd seen the trailers air on occasion and found it interesting, but not willing to go to a movie theater alone to see it.

Going to the shelf, it still seemed quite empty, though this time a swan boat had joined the previous lonely Ramen bowl. "Why would he just have these on display? I wonder if there's a story to each of them." Sadayo remarked while chuckling. She turned around and set her eyes on the bench. She'd seen him doing his homework that one time, but now it had all sort of parchments, threads and metal sheets. In her curiosity, she picked up what seemed to look like a ball covered in cloth that was next to a pile of bottles and fabric scraps. "He sure has some odd stuff here, I wonder what is he trying to make..." Part of her wanted to look more into his creations, figuring it might have something to do with his so-called extracurricular activities that he had mention previously. But as much as that always nagged at her, she knew that going farther than this would be too much.

With a sigh she carefully placed the ball on the table and sat on his makeshift couch as she took out her phone.

 **[S]:** Master will be happy to know that Laundry is done.

 **[A]:** That's good, I'm finishing up here, so it will be a little be longer before I come back.

 **[A]:** I know it' not much, but make yourself comfortable.

"Aren't you a busy one..." Sadayo commented as she replied.

 **[S]:** Just make sure not to stay too late, okay master.

 **[S]:** You wouldn't want to make poor Becky worry, would you?

 **[A]:** Wouldn't dream of it.

Sadayo chuckled at his quick response as she put her phone down. A yawn escaping her lips as she did so. She was left with nothing else but silence as she took one more glance at Akira's living arrangement as she waited patiently. It's not like my apartment is any better, but it feels so quiet here. Kind of funny how I'm the one waiting for him to arrive." As she waited her eyes began to feel heavy, the walk with the dogs and her sudden shift to Becky had drained a lot out of her, and she hadn't gotten anything to eat so she was low on energy. A soft yawn escaped her lips as her head tilted to the side, leaning on the couch.

"I'll just take short nap... I'm sure he'd understand... I mean he did last time..."

As she her body fell to her side she could feel her conscious slipping.

"Just make sure to wake me when you get here… Okay master...?"

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait.**

 **So this was meant to be a short chapter with some expanded fluff with Sadayo learning more about Akira, but it ended up taking way longer and having to split into 2. So we will be having one more chapter before we go headfirst into the remainder of the confidant.**

 **Fun fact: I had originally intended for Sadayo to be working at the same convenience store as Akira and they ran into each other that way, but after discussing it with both Mizu and the wife I realized that it's hard to imagine her working in a convenience store in Shibuya where a number of students that got o Shujin probably frequent.**

 **Thanks to all of you that are patient with my slow updates and continue to read my story.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the long wait once again.**

 **Character don't belong and are of Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"So, figured out what you're going to tell her?" The cat asked with a tone of concern as Akira left the train station at Yongenjaya.

"About what?." Akira asked nonchalantly as he carried Morgana's reward for helping him out earlier. "There a number of things that I haven't told her about, so you'll have to be more specific."

"I'm talking about the laundry!" Morgana remarked as he popped his head out of Akira's bag. "Considering the kind of stuff we found in Kamoshida's and Madarame's palaces, I'm sure Kaneshiro won't be any better. She'll definitely have questions about it."

"I have an idea in mind… So don't worry about it?"

"I'm worried because someone is being way too careless when it comes to a certain individual." Morgana's said, still not reassured by his partner's response. "I get that you want to help her, and I like her, but having her do stuff like that might cause her to have questions about what you've been doing."

"Yes, cause some mish-mash suits and women's clothing screams master thief" Akira retorted sarcastically.

"If you haven't forgotten, we already had someone find out about you being a phantom thief already and she wasn't around you as often."

"I think that had more to do with my whole story about needing the drugs for my entrance exams, all the while coming in with a new wound or strange injuries more than anything else."

Before Morgana could continue Akira tilted his head, signaling that they had arrived at Leblanc's entrance. "And sadly that is the end of that conversation, can't have her hearing us talking to each other after all."

Morgana wanted to argue back, but simply huffed in annoyance.

Akira walked in, glad to see that she hadn't accidentally locked the door on him, not that he couldn't lock pick himself in, but as he went in he didn't see any signs of her. "Hello…! Are you in here Becky?" Akira shouted, but got zero response. He looked perplex as his eyes went towards the stairs leading to his living quarters. "Is she upstairs?"

Morgana jumped out of his bag and on to the counter before sitting on one of the stool available. "Hey! Will you at least leave the sushi on a plate? I'm starving."

"Yeah, yeah." Akira went and grab a plate and opened up the box he was carrying, revealing an assortment of high price sushi. "I hope you're happy, I would have arrived home a lot sooner if we hadn't spent all that time finding what you wanted."

"Hey, you owed me for that distraction and I planned to collect in full." Morgana purred as the sushi filled plate was put in front of him. "They look so good..." A twinkly, not too different for when he encountered treasure showed in his eyes.

"I'll leave you two alone then..." Akira rolled his eyes with a smirk on his lips as he left Morgana to his reward and went upstairs to see if Sadayo was there. And sure enough he found her, lying down on the couch, one hand hanging down the couch as the other rested under her head.

"So this is where you've been. Hey, you awake?"

Akira placed his bag by the work table before walking in front of the couch. He went down on one of his knees to be at eye level and noticed that she had fallen asleep once more. Chuckling at the trail of drool coming from her mouth, he was tempted to take a picture of such an amusing sight, but refrain from doing so.

"Come on Becky, time to wake up." He got no response as Sadayo continue to sleep. "Kawakami? Can you hear me?"

As Sadayo continued to sleep, Akira was left thinking to himself. He was reminded of that night that she fell asleep on his bed much like this. While he had done his best attempts to help her out by requesting her, at closer inspection she looks no better than she did that evening, in fact she looked a bit worse for ware. She tried to hide it, but he was able to notices the signs. Her skin lacked color in areas, and the bags under her eyes are still ever present. Her cheeks looked slightly sunk and her hand showing a number of small nicks and cuts.

"Wonder if some of these are from previous kitchen mishaps." 'Did you accidentally hurt yourself _trying to fulfill someone's request?_ _D_ _id you get yelled at because of it?_ _What have other people had you do?_ ' Akira's thoughts went to places that he'd rather not think on as he looked at his tired maid… his tired teacher. His hand subconsciously moving her hair to the side, revealing the rest of her face. "Is this really the only way to make amends… Sadayo?"

Sadayo's shifted to his touch, which caused him to pull back in surprise and land on his butt. "Mmmrrr, that looks really good… I'm famished." A smile showing on her face as she shifted on the couch and continued sleeping.

Akira sat there in silence, his heart racing before running his hand over his hair as he let out a relieved sigh. "I guess Morgana might have a point about me being too careless..." Akira Shook his head, chuckling at how pathetic he must look, as he moved close to Sadayo again. "Come on Becky, Don' t think you'd be happy with staying the night here." he gently nudged her by the shoulder, making sure to keep some distance for when she wakes.

Sadayo slowly woke after a few attempts, less panicked then she had been last time as she sat up with a long stretch accompanying a quiet yawn. "Oh, you're back.. Welcome home Master." Sadayo said with a smile as she rubbed some lingering sleep from her eye.

The smile seemed much more natural than her earlier attempts and as Akira heard her greeting, he could help but return one to her. "Yeah, I'm home."

"Sorry..." placing her hand over her mouth as another yawn escaped her lips mid sentence. "I haven't been able to get much sleep for the past week and since I was waiting, I figured I could catch a nap. I wasn't asleep for too long was I?"

"It's fine, you looked like you could use the rest." Akira got up and pointed at his left cheek, causing Sadayo to realize the small wet trail on her face.

Sadayo looked away, embarrassed as she hastily rubbed the drool from her face. "Thanks…" Sadayo pondered to herself. "I feel like I'm forgetting something, but never mind. So... where did you get off to?"

"Not much, just had some complaints about some rock salt."

"Rock salt?" Sadayo blinked with a perplexed look." You mean like those lamps, or cooking-?"

As Sadayo stood up she felt lightheaded and stumble forward. Akira moved to grab her but she managed to grab on to the work bench. As she did, the cloth wrapped ball began to move. With Akira too focused on Sadayo, he didn't realize and as it fell off the table, it burst when it hit the ground as it filled the room in smoke.

"Wha-What is going on?! Why is the room covered in smoke?!" Sadayo coughed as she tried to make sense of what was happening, her hands probing in front of her..

"Don't worry," Akira was surprised at the sudden veil of smoke covering the room, but luckily this wasn't his first time in this situation. When Morgana had first taught him how to make thief tools he had a similar situation when one of his early attempts at a smokescreen had prematurely detonated. "We just need to open up the window and let it clear out."

"Window, so my left?." Sadayo Tried to walk toward the window as she hit the table leg with her shoe, as something else fell, making a slight metallic thump on the ground. "Sorry!"

"I got it" Akira was able to reach the window without any problem thanks to his third sight. As he open the window, he took fan and used it to blow the smoke out the room. The smoke dissipated shortly after as Akira let out a sigh. "That takes care of that. Are you ok?" Akira turned to see a terrified Sadayo as she is pointing at something.

"Hey, what with all the ruckus up here!? I was in a middle of a food nap-" Morgana complained as he came up the stair but was stopped in his tracks at what he found, as his toned went from annoyed to concern. "This… is not good."

"Kurusu-kun.." Sadayo voice sounding shaken. "What is that on the ground….?"

Akira had a bad feeling as his eyes quickly noticed as the bag he had placed by the bench had toppled over. They proceeded to follow where Sadayo was pointing, those feelings where confirmed as a his model pistol laid sitting in the open.

"Tha—that's a gun. That's a gun, isn't it!"

Morgana was just in a panic as he kept looking around for a plan "This is bad, Maybe if I cause a distraction again, maybe if I knock something else down."

' _Shit, it must had fallen out of my bag during the commotion._ ' Alarm where blaring inside Akira's head that he wasn't even listening to Morgana's suggestions. He needed to defuse the situation, and he needed to do it quickly. "I know what you're thinking, but this isn't what it looks like." He said nervously.

"NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE?!" Sadayo turned to Akira, tears forming in her eyes as her expression was a mixture of fear and anger. "BECAUSE TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE A-!"

"Please!...calm down." Akira quickly gestured to lower her volume, worried that someone might overhear her saying he had a firearm in his possession. His fingers pressing against the bridge of his nose. "I know what it looks like, but it's a fake, it's not real. Just... let me explain. Please..."

Sadayo heart was beating so fast that it hurt, but the adrenaline allowed her to power through it. She looked back and forth between the black object on the ground and her, what is starting to feel like, very dangerous student.

' _Why are we even considering letting him explain. This goes beyond caus_ _ing_ _trouble at school or wrong_ _ful_ _charges. The gun is there, there is no way to deny that this is a crime, and it's dangerous. This is ten times worse than what you had originally thought of him, This is the kind of thing you d_ _idn't_ _want to be associated or get connected to you.'_

That voice continued to scream at her to leave, there is no way to deny what she saw, and it scared the crap out of her.

' _Do I tell the principal about this? How the heck am I supposed to explain how I found out about this! What will happen to him afterwards...'_

Her body was instinctively taking a step back, but stopped midway.

' _Please… just give him a chance... I think he's earned that much. After all, he gave us one.'_

For how much she wanted to flee, she couldn't leave him behind, not after all he had done for her.

"Fine" Sadayo finally spoke up, though hesitantly. She did her best to calm herself but her word still had anger it them As she smiled. Normally this would relax Akira, but this time, it looked much more malicious. "Now start talking, Master."

* * *

Sadayo sat on the couch, holding an annoyed Morgana close on her lap as she fiercely watched Akira working from the ground. It had only been a few minutes since she gave him a chance to explain, but it felt like hours as he worked on, from what it looked like to her at least, dismantling it. The fact that he seemed to be very good at handling the device was quite surprising to her, but was making her even more nervous than she already was and caused her to hold Morgana tighter.

"Tight! Too tight!" Morgana gritted, being careful not to accidentally scratch her.

Luckily for him she was able to notice his discomfort as she quickly loosen her grip. "Sorry Morgana..." She said apologetically as she looked downward toward the cat, while gently petting him as thanks for not freaking out on her.

"If you're nervous, I can make you a cup of coffee if you'd like." Akira turned his gaze to Sadayo as he stopped what he was doing. "

"OOOOOH NO!" Sadayo lifted her head and gave him an angry look once more. "You just keep doing whatever it is that you are doing over there mister. I'm keeping my eyes on you."

Akira let out a defeated sigh. "I'm just taking it apart for now. I figure you wouldn't be very comfortable with me bringing it close to you. Speaking of which I'm done." With that, Akira placed the parts over a handkerchief and while holding it over both his hand he brought them over to her. "See?"

Sadayo simply looked at the pieces that where in front of her in confusion and then looked back at him. "Sorry but, I honestly have no idea what I'm looking at here."

"Right, sorry." Akira set them down and picked one of the pieces and showed it to her. "Like I said before, it's just a model gun. It's well made, but there is no way this could shoot actual bullets." He presented the parts of the gun to Sadayo once more. "Here, take a closer look."

Sadayo still looked unsure as her hand reached a bit before pulling back. She looked back at Akira who waited patiently to she what she did, and as she took a deep breath she proceed to grab hold of the slide. She was shown each piece as Akira explain the intricacies, and how it work at as a whole while also explain why they'd be incapable of functioning like a normal gun. He even showed her how the caps would be loaded, but figured that it's was probably for the best to not to cause any more scares, held back on showing a demostration.

Eventually Sadayo understood enough about the model that she started calm down enough to allowed Morgana to wander off. She could hear the cat meowing loudly as he went and rested on the bed. From the look of annoyance in Akira's face, it looked to her like the cat was berating him. Ignoring the meows, Akira proceeded to take the pieces of the gun back and sat by the work bench, while Sadayo instead laid back down on the couch in a position not to dissimilar to the one she did the night that she he started requesting her proper. Her head rested near the work bench and her body loosened up from how tense it had felt this whole time, her chest lowering and rising with her breathing. Her heart was still beating fast from all the scares and stress that had occurred and even with the nap that she had managed to sneak in, her body was start aching and tired, though she did her best to hide it from Akira.

"I was right about you…" Sadayo let out a long drown out sigh "I knew the moment I saw you you'd be nothing but trouble."

"Sorry for being such a trouble student." Akira remarked, more amused by her remark than offended.

They both turn to look at each other. Silence prevailing for a couple a minutes before it is broken by the sound of laughter from both ends.

Sadayo took a deep breath as she gazed on to her Master. While this whole evening had been very stressful and nerve-wracking, she had to admit it was kind of amusing watching him panic and act so nervous around her _. "_ _He was actually kind of cute._ _'_ Quickly realizing what she had thought off, Sadayo shook her head to clear it of such thoughts as she put up a sour face. "While I'm relieved that it really was a misunderstanding, why do you have something like that here?" Sadayo proceeded pointed to the souvenirs on his shelf. "Same with those, I mean They seem like a weird assortment of items, not to mention those clothes at the-" As Sadayo thought back to all the things that she had seen this evening, she was suddenly reminded of the incident at the laundromat. "AAAAH-!" And with that she stood up, causing her a bit of a headache as she grabbed her head before turning to Akira. "NOW I remember. What the hell was with those clothes?"

' _Narrowly avoid a landmine, only to fall in a pitfall'_ "What could you mean, I remember you saying that you had it under control and weren't going to freak out." Akira did his best to act oblivious to what she could be referring to, his smile similar to the one he had given Ms. Chouno.

"Nope, that act won't work twice, you're not getting away without explaining yourself this time."

As much as Sadayo wanted to know about what had occurred to Akira on his first day, she let it slid and hoped that he would tell he at another time. This time though, he wasn't getting off easy.

She proceeded to stomp towards the basket, as she proceeded to pick it up and drop it in front of Akira. She reached into the basket to pull out the very same leather top that caught her by surprise earlier and held it in front of Akira's face. "I mean, did you not think about how I would react to finding this!?"

Akira stood, surprised at such a bizarre article of apparel, and quickly snorted as he held himself back from laughing. Sadayo's blushed as she realized how ridiculous this situation had become but stood firm nonetheless.

"Sorry, I didn't expect for you to find something like that, it must had been a shock." Akira continued holding back from laughing. "Though to be fair I did try to warn you."

"You know full well, that there was no way that I would had expected to see stuff like this." Sadayo pouted, as she looked away, her hand still holding up the top. "I mean, it would had still been a bit awkward, but you should had told me that you were having me do your girlfriends laundry as well..."

Akira's face quickly change from one of amusement, to that of confusion as she stared back at her with her with a raised eyebrow. "My… girlfriend?"

Sadayo held up the top in front of her as she looked at it in disinterest. "I mean, I can't imagine someone wearing something like this." Her right hand letting go as it went down, sweeping the bottom of her dress as she looked at what she wore herself with a bit of shame. "But then again...It's not like I can say much." She said in a defeated tone.

"It's not my girlfriend's." Akira interjected quickly

"It's… not?"Sadayo's eyes turned back to see Akira as he smiled calmly, the tone of his voice showing no hints of him trying to lie to her.

"I mean it can't be, since I don't even have a girlfriend to begin with." Akira said with a shrug.

"You don't? Ummm sorry… Didn't mean to assume things..." Sadayo could feel her face burning as she realized that she not only let the discussion between those girls to cloud her perspective, but had ended up confronting Akira about it without realizing it. "OH! But then if you don't, then why do you have these?" She asked, clearly wanting to change the topic.

"Guess it's only fair to let you know, especially if you're still want to help out. And I guess it's only fair that I explain about the model gun after having you go through that." Akira scratched his head as he pretended to sound annoyed. The ridiculousness of the exchange giving him some time to catch his second wind and attempt to take control of the situation.

"Tell me about what?"

"Remember about how you've been asking me about how I make my money." Akira gave her a mischievous smirk as he continued. "well, they're both related to that."

Sadayo found it hard to believe that such thing would allow him to frequently request her. "You make money using this..." as she pointed to the top, followed by the disassembled model gun "...and that?"

"Not at the same time." Akira chuckled. "I sometime go to small markets second hand stores.. You'd be surprised at what people sell in some of those. I tend to gather material for my work bench and sometimes I managed to get some odd articles of clothing as well." Akira proceeds to grab one the golden vest from the basket" I know someone who is willing to buy used goods like these. Though most tend to be so dirty that it's hard to tell what they are, which is why I tend to wash them first, that' why I tend to do to separate wash. One's my regular clothing, and the other is for my finds." Akira points to the top that Sadayo held.

Sadayo had her brow raised in disbelief as he placed the top back in the basket. "That doesn't sound like a very stable way of making money, not to mention… really weird. Why go through all of that?"

"I get a good find here and there, plus some of the stuff is worth keeping." Akira picks out one of the more formal looking article of clothing as he presents it to her. I've gotten some nice shirt for special occasions. So it helps me save up money in that department. Mostly thought, it's just something I do for fun."

"Uh-huh..." Sadayo still looked unconvinced as she drops the leather top into the basket and gestures to the workbench. "And that..."

"Not much to say, I've been working part time at a model guns store." Akira placed the shirt back in the basket as she sat back down down. "My boss is very particular about the craftsmanship of his merchandise, so I asked for something to practice on when I'm at home." He fiddled with the parts for a bit before placing it down and grabbing another ball similar to the one Sadayo had seen before as well as what looked to be a blowtorch as he showed them both to her. "They also sell other things like this smoke bomb, and props, so I tend to make them on the work bench."

' _Might as well give an explanation for these before she starts asking about them.'_

He noticed as Sadayo looked a bit worried about the blowtorch in hand. "I told you already, it's just a prop, there is no way for it it to light up." He gave her a reassuring smile as pointed the object away from Sadayo as he held the trigger as one would to turn it on. This caused Sadayo to jerk away which left Akira chuckling when nothing happened. "See, nothing dangerous here."

Recovering from her jumpy reaction, Sadayo hesitantly picked it up and took a look at it contemplatively. "I guess that makes sense?" She places the prop on the bench before resting against it and looking at Akira. "So, are they hiring?"

"Huh?" Akira looked completely at a lost for words from the question that had been asked of him.

"I'm always wondering how you were able to earned enough that you where able to request me so often." She grabbed the slider of the gun, taking a closer examination with a slight pout on her lip. "I mean I've given up on making you understand that wasting your money like that is a bad idea since you're so stubborn, but I still worry at times. Model gun shop thought… Didn't think you where interested in those kinds of things, I mean you don't look the type. Still, guess a job is a job." She shrugged as she place the slider back on the bench before turning back to Akira, who looked concerned about something. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh no I just don't think it's pays as much as you're thinking." Akira stated in an attempt to dissuade her from this line of thought. "Plus I imagine that you wouldn't enjoy that kind a job."

"I'm working multiple jobs already, one in particular being a house call maid while wearing pigtails." Sadayo remarked with a tone of annoyance, showcasing the frills on her dress with her fingers as if he would forget their current situation. "I think I can deal with some rough manual labor if it pays more than at least one of my other jobs."

"But that's if he would even hire you." Akira quickly retorted."I mean it took a lot for me to even ask about a job and I don't think he's going to hire someone who not very good with handling these." He gestured to the mostly completed pistol.

"That is true, a lot of places seem rather intent in avoiding having to train new people from scratch." She let out a sigh in frustration. "Plus there are stuff like what I should wear to make a good impression. A business suit is an obvious choice and I should still have some business cards and some head shot photos from my last interview for my resume." She continue on as she thought out her plan and what she needed to prepare.

"You're really putting a lot of thought into this aren't you" Akira said quite surprised.

"I've been jumping from job to job for a couple of years now, Some places might be fine with a simple phone call, but it's more likely that you'll have to go through an interviewing and testing process. I've just gotten used to it I guess." Sadayo responded before going back to talking to herself out loud about what she should do.

Akira was taken aback as he listened to her plan things out and organize herself. Even when he saw her at school as his teacher, she always looked uninterested and tired and he admittedly wondered at times how she could be one. Seeing her now though, he felt an air of reliability coming from her. For the first time since he had met her, he could feel the difference in age and life experience between the two. After all, he never thought this hard about how difficult it might be to look for a job. He helped out at his parents shop back in his hometown, and the as Sadayo said, the few part time he has where just a quick phone call and a small orientation before being put to work, even with his record. For a while he just sat their, leaning against the work bench as he listened to her talk in admiration. He had to admit, it was a bit amusing seeing Sadayo sound very professional and mature, while still wearing her maid outfit and pigtails.

"So, I would really appreciate it if you helped out."

"Wait, what?" Akira was snapped out of his thought as Sadayo directed a question at him.

"Well, even with everything being considered, the fact of the matter is that you're probably right about me not being very likely to be hired if I'm not capable of working with the models." Sadayo rubbed the back of her neck with two fingers as she struggled to repeat her request once more. "Soooooo I was hoping that you would teach me how?"

"Teach you? I mean, I, the thing is-" Akira had been placed in a middle of a question he did not expect receiving has hey tried to find the words to refuse but failing miserably.

"Please, it would really help me out." Sadayo placed her hands together as she pleaded

"But is that really a good idea."Akira finally able to respond, as he was reminded of the previous incident with the curry. He turned away from Sadayo. "I mean the last time I 'Taught' you anything you ended up getting hurt." Part of his reasoning was an excuse, but part of him did regret how bad he had messed up that evening and didn't want a repeat of it.

"I messed up too! I should have been paying more attention." Sadayo quickly interjected, as she leaned closer to Akira. "But I promise I'll be careful this time, and if you think I'm no good at it then we'll drop the subject. Just... humor me, okay?"

Akira struggled to think of a reason as she stared into her eyes. They were tired, but still held a fire in them. After several attempts to get the words out of his mouth he just let out a sigh. "Okay, I'll see what I can do. But if I can't promise you much will come from this, and if I think it's no good then we stop, got it?"

"YAY!" Sadayo gave a big grin as she cheered excitedly. "Thank you, I promise to do my best, master.

"For someone who was terrified of this a short while ago you seem really gung-ho about this." Akira let out a tired sigh. He didn't have to look to know that Morgana was glaring at him from the bed. "But I do think that we should continue this another time. Is getting rather late after all."

"What do you mean, It's only-" As Sadayo looked at the time her smile immediately fell a gasp. "CRAP, I need to head out or I'll miss the last train! She frantically grabbed her bag as she tried sprinting down the stairs. "ThankyouforusingourserviceI'llseeyoulaterbye!"

Akira chuckled at the frantic maid as he waved her off. He could hear the frantic steps as she fled to the door downstairs, ending with the chiming of the bells as the door closes. Once she was gone he let himself sink on to his chair as he ran his hand down his face with an audible groan.

"So your big plan was to tell the person, who in the past, has asked you if you know any other jobs that pay well, and who always questioning you about how you make enough money to request her often... about a job that she's probably hadn't considered before...? You're an idiot." Sounding more disappointed than angry, Morgana jumped on top of Akira before landing and sitting on the work bench.

"It's not like I had planed to tell her about Iwai!" Akira straightened up as he turned to Morgana. "She just saw the pistol and that was the only thing I could explain why I'd own one."

"You know you could had told her about Iwai's past as part of the Yakuza, or about those officers that keep showing up. I'm sure that would had stop her from wanting to work then."

."You're probably right about that,"Akira scratched his head with a reluctant expression before going back to putting the model gun together again. "I don't know... it just didn't feel right to bring that up. I only just found out about his past as a Yakuza, and he really doesn't want his kid to know of it, so telling her about something like that would had felt like betraying his trust. Plus if I had mention the officers, it would had only lead to her asking more questions." He held the new finished gun in front of him, taking aim to make sure everything feel right.

Morgana shook his head before turning to the stairs with a worried expression. "Still… I didn't expect her to be so willing to work in a place like that without hesitation. Just how much money does she need?"

"Yeah..." Akira lowered the model gun as he thought back to when he saw her asleep in the couch, the way she seem to stumble at times when she got up. He began to worry about whether she was going to be okay making it back home when his phone went off.

 **[S]:** Master will be happy to know that Becky was able to make it on time.

 **[S]:** Sadly, Becky won't be able to see master for some time now as Becky will be busy for the rest of the week.

Akira let out a sigh of relief to hear from her. He wasn't happy to hear about the fact that he wouldn't be able to request her for some time, but he had to admit that it did mean that he has some time to figure out what to do about her wanting to work at Iwai's. Not to mention that the group had planned to do their final assault on Kaneshiro this coming weekend, which would had made it harder for him to see her.

 **[A]:** That's good, just let your master know when you make it home, okay?

 **[** **S]:** Master is so considerate of Becky

 **[S]:** Becky will make sure master know as soon as I make it.

 **[** **A** **]:** Thanks, Then we can start lessons next week.

 **[A]:** So look forward to it.

 **[S]:** Yes! Becky will work hard to make her master proud.

Akira always smiled at how silly their chats on text were. He was tired, but refused to go to bed till he hard heard back from Sadayo, much to Morgana's complaints. As sleep began to over take him, his thoughts were of Sadayo, something that started to become a common occurrence as of late. He thought back to her past, how she just tried to do the right thing and the whole world decided to punish her for it. How because of a moment of weakness, she is forced to work herself to the point that she is always tired. She mentioned that she had been doing this for years now. How many years has she been made to do this. _'Is she going to be able to keep going like this? Requesting her might just be delaying the inevitable.'_ Akira placed his hand over his face, a glaring eye visible from between his fingers mimicking the motions he made while he was known as Joker.

"Is this really what you want, Sadayo?"

* * *

"I just want this day to end…." Sadayo protested as she slumped down in defeat at her desk in the teacher's lounge. It was for the most part empty with just her and Ms. Chouno occupying it. The sound of raindrops hitting the window echoing around the quiet room.

"That's what happens when you leave all your work for the last moment." Ms. Chouno interjected, maintaining her focus on her own work. "You had all weekend to take care of it, so don't go complaining just because you decided to push it back till it was too late. You're a teacher so you should be a better example for your students."

"Who quit and made you principal?" Sadayo lifted her head and gave a Ms. Chouno an annoyed look. While she had stopped her interrogation of her she was always on her case about her attitude as a teacher. "I was just really busy, so I didn't have time to get it done."

"And busy with what if I may ask?" Ms. Chouno lifted her head slightly from her work, giving Sadayo a piercing glare. She got no response from Sadayo, which cause her to shake her head and sigh. "This is your responsibility we're talking about here, could you at least put the effort to make some time?"

Sadayo rested her head on the desk, facing away from Ms. Chouno with a pout on her face."I'll get it done okay, no need to get on my case constantly. Jeez..."

The two didn't say anything for some time. Sadayo had hoped that this would have ended their conversation, but she could hear a tapping coming from Ms. Chouno's desk, which seemed to increase in speed. It was agitating her, but she didn't want to instigate her any more and hope they could just leave it be.

" **Why** did you become a teacher?" Sadayo sighed internally. It seemed that her last comment had caused Ms. Chouno to snap. Her tone was stern, up front, and had no hint of sugar coating to it. "Ever since I've known you, you've always did the minimum of work. You've always tried to leave as early as you can, you tended to avoid the teacher meetings and you never directly interacted with you're students. At the time I felt that it was not my place to tell you what to do, and since you were helping Kurusu-kun out I had figured that the incident with Kamoshida had caused you to rethink you're actions and put more effort. But you've been more and more 'busy' for these past weeks, and you continue to neglect you're duty as a teacher and pushing them aside as if you have no desire to do what you need to do."

Ms. Chouno took a deep breath, her finger pressing against the bridge of her nose. "I may not be the principal, but we may as well not have one at this moment. Principal Kobayakawa has for the most part locked himself in his office and leaving us to deal with the students and backlash on our own. Many of whom already have little faith in us as it is, and more are getting riled up by the stuff with the Phantom Thieves." Ms. Chouno got up from her chair and proceeded to get to her class before stopping by the door and turning to Sadayo. "Things are only going to get harder here for us. If you're more interested in other things and aren't willing to put the effort as a teacher…" Ms. Chouno stopped herself from finishing her statement, running her hand through her hair. "Whatever, ignore what I said. It's just been a stressful time for all of us." Her voice sounded a regretful, but the fact that she didn't' apologize spoke to how she felt. "Either way, you just have your homeroom class, right? Just try to make it till then." And with that Ms. Chouno left leaving Sadayo alone in the room.

Sadayo just laid down and didn't say anything as she hid her face around her arms, her hands gripping at her sleeves tightly. She was upset at Ms. Chouno for snapping at her and lecturing her, but she knew she was just as upset because the other teacher was right. Many times in the past she had questioned why she even bothered to continue as a teacher, and it was a question that grew harder to dismiss as the years went by. There had been many times where she contemplated whether she should just quit and allow the school to find someone much more deserving of her position.

Sadayo's slid her hand over her head, eyes looking into the distance as she raised her head slightly, tilting it to the side. _'I mean do I even have the right to call myself a teacher at this point…?'_ She clung tightly to herself before letting go and smacking her cheeks lightly. "No point thinking about it now... let's just get this over with." She said halfheartedly as she got up and started walking toward class 2-B. The class was rowdy as many students were out of their seats. Quite a few were talking about last night's events when she came in. In fact the discussion has been going on through out the whole day since it involved the Phantom Thieves once more.

A police raid had apparently occurred in Shibuya last night, with many photos and videos taken by bystanders as the events occurred. They had come to apprehend a criminal by the name of Junya Kaneshiro, and put him into custody. The reason for why the people know the person's name is also what connects it to The Phantoms as the night before the raid Shibuya had been littered entirely by their signature calling card. Many suspect that they had caused him to suffer a change of heart as many said they saw the police apprehend a short man in cuffs who was weeping the whole way through. Sadly no actual evidence of this one could be obtained since they said that the police had confiscated their phones or asked them to delete their footage. Even with that though, the word of mouth had spread quickly and by this morning, their Phansite had once again gain a drastic increase in visitors.

Sadayo clapped her hand against her notebook, grabbing the attention of the students as she came in. "Alright, everyone settle down." The student went back to their seats as she continued towards the front desk. As she placed her things down, her eyes subconsciously went toward the very corner of her class to where Akira was, as she had started doing for some time now. At first she did it because he had found out about her maid job and was paranoid that he might pull something and so kept an eye on him. By this point though it had become a bit of a habit to look at her transfer student's direction whenever she entered class. Akira would usually either look at her back, sporting that cocky smile as he took notice of her looking his way, be talking to Ann, or looking outside as he paid little attention to the class. Today though was different, Ann seemed to be lying down on her desk while Akira head rested in his hand as he leaned on top of the desk. He face was looking her way, but it didn't feel like he was looking at her. She could see head nodding before he would readjust himself, before doing so all over again.

' _Is he okay? He seems really out of it...'_ Sadayo thought worriedly. While they hadn't been able to meet outside of class since last Wednesday, she did get to see him regularly in class. He seemed to be fine last Saturday, but now, she couldn't help but think that the way he was looking reminded her of how she saw herself in the mirror at times. A part of her was worried if something had happened to her transfer student yesterday and while she wanted to ask him, now was not the time. _'_ _Still…_ _he does look like he needs the rest.'_ Sadayo was reminded of how he was always willing to let her sleep as she thought of something.

Sadayo clapped together as began her class."Okay everyone, We're rounding up the half-way point for your next midterms, so why don't we review what we have covered so far. I know some of you will think you don't need this, but don't think you can just take a nap in class." She turned around to the blackboard, but turned her head towards her students. "Got it? I better not catch anyone falling asleep during class."

Sadayo hoped that Akira understood what she intended as she started the class. She continued writing on the blackboard while reviewing the subject of past course. She made sure to jot down important parts of what she reviewed on a separate sheet. She tried to focus on getting though her talk, but the whispers of her students continue to chatter as she did.

"A course review? She must have forgotten to plan the class.

"I mean, are you surprised? This is Kawakami we're talking about."

"No kidding, you could replace her with an online course and you'd probably get more benefit from it."

"Honestly I didn't mind that she kept to herself at first, but after a while you have to start wondering why she's still here?"

These types of comments were becoming more and more frequent as time went on. They were only whispers at first, or maybe an off hand comment or two, but as time went on they began to become more vocal about their displeasure with the school. The situation with the students in Shibuya and the new rumor of The Phantom's newest act only made things worse since the students now saw The Phantoms as heroes while in return looked at the school with contempt for not being there for them.

As the comments continued Sadayo stopped writing. She held the piece of chalk in her hand so tightly that she could feel it crack in her fingers. She was reminded of what Ms. Chouno had just told her and the weight of shame was becoming too heavy to bear. _'I know I'm a failure as a teacher… But what could any of us done...?'_ She grit her teeth in frustration as he felt a sting in her eyes. She tried to continue writing down the notes, trying to ignore the continued chatter directed at her when a loud shuffling of a chair caught the attention of the entire class.

As she looked back out of shock as the loud noise had caught her by surprise and saw Akira just standing there in silence. The whole class was silent and all eyes were on him as he straightens up.

"I have to go to the bathroom. May I be excused Ms. Kawakami?"

"Oh! Um su-sure. Just don't take too long, okay?"

Akira waved his raised had in approval as he walked out the class closing the door behind him.

"Man talk about intense."

"Why do we have to be in the same class as that guy?"

"Did you see the way his eyes looked? That was scary."

"Was it me, or did his eyes look yellow for a second?"

"His always so quiet, makes me feel like he's going to snap at any moment."

It seemed that the class had switched their discussion to Akira. Sadayo wanted nothing more than to tell them that they knew nothing about him and should keep such comments to themselves, but much to her regret, she had to admit that she was relieved that their focus was no longer on her.

Eventually the students quieted down and Sadayo continue with her class, only a few whispers being heard when Akira returned, and as Sadayo expected, it didn't take long for him to pull up some books and hide behind them. Class went uneventful afterwards and as the bell rang many of the students were quick to head out, leaving her, Akira and Ann.

Hey wake up! "Ann whispered from over his notebook. "If she sees you you're going to get in trouble." Her arm reached out to nudge him but she seemed to stop herself.

"If **who** sees him, Takamaki-chan?"

Ann turned quickly towards Sadayo with a panic look on her face, standing up in an attempt to hide Akira. "Heeeeey Ms. Kawakami, crazy weather we're having, huh? I'm just waiting for Akira to finish writing some notes down, so don't mind us."

"I'm sure he is, I just have to ask Kurusu-kun a question and then I'll be out of your hair." Sadayo leaned to the side, but Ann followed suit, attempting to block her view pretending to stretch as she did..

"Sorry, I've just been sitting for so long, got to stretch those muscles, you know?"

"He's asleep isn't he?" Sadayo stated, acting annoyed.

"Of -of course not, why would he do that?" Ann refuted with a nervous smiles while taking a step back.

"Kurusu-kun, if you don't respond to me, I'm sending you straight to the counselors office."

"No wait!" Ann quickly interjected. "Yes, he is asleep, bu-but, it's because he was helping me out last night carrying some stuff from my modeling job. It's not his fault, so is it okay if you can forgive him this time?"

Sadayo wasn't fully convinced about Ann story, but then again she didn't need to be. She knew he had fallen asleep, and even expected him to and had no intention of punishing him. She could tell that whatever had happen last night, it had taken a lot of him and she wanted to allow him a chance to take a breather just as he had done for her so many times now. Nonetheless she needed to put up the act of a disapproving teacher, even if she was playing it a bit to heavy.

Sadayo did her best to look frustrated, shaking her head in disapproval. "I know he is doing well in his classes, but that doesn't mean he gets to ignore class and slack off. But… he really hasn't been causing any trouble, so I guess I can let him off easy time." She said with a sigh. "He did look very out of it, so he must have worked hard."

Ann looked quite shock though relieved. _'_ _Huh, I did not expect her to be that understanding'_ "Thanks you for under-" Before Ann could finishing her thanks, Sadayo raised her finger in front of her.

" **But** , that doesn't mean he's fully off the hook. Once he wakes up he and I are going to have a talk about this."

"Yeah… I guess that's fair." Ann lowered her head dejectedly as a phone started going off her her bag. As when she went to check who it was, she found that it was from her modeling agency that was trying to reach her. "Huh, it's from work, they usually don't call me this early." She raised her hand apologetically to Sadayo before turning to pick up the phone.

"What's up."

"Now?!

"But what happened to-?"

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Then Sure, I can come as a substitute, who else is going to be there?"

MIKA?!" Ann did not intend that to be as loud as it was and turned to Sadayo who looked like she jumped a bit at her reaction and mouthed an apology before going back to the conversation..

"Sorry if I surprised you. No, it shouldn't be a problem."

"Got it, I'll be there as soon as I can. Keep me posted if anything else happens, okay " Ann hung up her phone and proceeded to gather her things.

"Sounds like you're busy." Sadayo remarked, surprised at how professional Ann sounded on the phone. She knew that Ann had been doing work as a model, but realize she took it so seriously.

"Yeah, one of the girls apparently got food poisoning and wasn't able to make it. Working with Mika again is going to be exhausting," Ann said with a tired sigh, though quickly perked up. "But at least it will keep me on my toes. Can't afford to slack off after all." As Ann was about to head out when she was reminded of something and turned to Akira we a concerned look on her face. "Ummm"

"If you need to head out I can let him know that you left to a modeling gig when he wakes up." Sadayo looked at the tired Akira. "After all I'm going to be waiting till he wakes up to have that talk I had mentioned."

"Oh, ummm…." Ann's expression seemed even more unsure than it was before at Sadayo's suggestion. "I don't know? Maybe I should call it off..."

Sadayo was confused at why Ann seem so uncomfortable, with what she said before it hit her, as she smacked her forehead. "Sorry...Of course you wouldn't be okay with that. After all you went through you probably don't trust any of us."

"No, it's not that..." Ann voice trailed off as she looks down. "It's not that I'm accusing you of doing something like that, it's just..."

Their was an uncomfortable silence in the room as the two couldn't find anything to tell the other. Sadayo was just about to leave in shame when she thought she heard a very quiet meowing.

"Don't fret Lady Ann, I'll be here if Akira needs help. So leave it to me." Morgana whispered, hoping that Sadayo wouldn't notice him hiding in the desk. His desire to come to Ann's aid causing him to speak up.

' _Again with the meowing, I think I'm spending too much time around cats.'_ She thought it was all in her head first, but from Ann sudden change in expression, she probably heard something to.

"Okay, I guess I'll head out." Ann prepped herself before bowing to Sadayo "Just tell him that they needed me at work."

"O-okay… sure." Sadayo was flabbergasted at how quickly Ann's attitude change as she waved her good bye. "Get home safely Takamaki-chan..."

With that she was left alone with Akira in the classroom. She looked as he continued to sleep, though his face looked a bit uncomfortable. "Still, how could you sleep during all of that." She pouted a bit as she reach her hand forward. "Come on, it's probably better if you go home." As Sadayo shoved him from his shoulder in an attempt to wake him up, his body recoiled as he wince out in pain, causing Sadayo to back away in a panic. "Sorrysorry!" She whispered, not wanting to draw peoples' attention. _'Wait… why did he react like that?'_

With a groan Akira woke from his slumber, his left hand reaching out to his right shoulder. He looked like he was in pain as he straightened up from the desk.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that to hurt." Sadayo felt uneasy seeing Akira in so much pain. She could feel her hands wanting to reach out to him and help him, but she held them backing, gripping on the edge of her shirt.

"It's fine." Akira turned his neck to remove the kinks on his neck. "My shoulder is just sore."

"That reaction was way too much for just a sore shoulder." She just thought he looked out of it, and was going to ask him if he had stayed up too late or was just hungry, but after seeing that reaction, she was reminded at how beat up he looked on the first day and was starting to worry that something similar had happened. "Is everything okay? Are you in any trouble? Are you hurt?"

Akira was surprised at the amount of question that was being flung at him. "It's nothing serious, I just..." Akira turned away, placing his hand over his mouth as he mumbled. "run over by a pig."

Sadayo brow raised at Akira's weird statement. "Pig, where would there be any… Never mind." Sadayo tried not to think to hard about it, thinking he was just messing with her." Well pig or not please have that looked as soon as you can, okay. I don't want you ignoring it and getting worse. And another...thing..." Sadayo noticed as Akira was just sitting there with a smile on his face as she went on. "Wh-why are you looking at me like that?"

"Don't know, just hearing you sound so concerned about me like that. I guess I can't help to feel happy. I'm glad I have a teacher like you."

Sadayo look frustrated at Akira's compliment as she looked away. "That's not funny, I'm not in the mood for one of your jokes. I'm no good as a teacher, and everyone can see that." She grabbed both her arms as she took step back. "None of the students have any respect for me, and even the other teachers look at me with frustration. So please don't joke about that."

"Maybe I just know something that they don't."

Sadayo had turned and face Akira wanting to protest, but stopped when she saw his expression. He looked serious, his eyes piercing gray that looked straight at her without flinching that caused goosebumps to grow on her arms.

Akira took his glasses of as she looked at them with a bit of sadness.. "I mean, I think we can both agree that we both have a history of people thinking the worst of us." Akira turned to Sadayo with a sly smirk on his face. "I mean everyone thinks I'm nothing but scum after all, so I guess that's what I am."

"That's not true!" Sadyo interjected as she stepped forward. "It's not your fault that you got wrongfully accused, and even with all of that you're still willing to help others. In the other hand, I couldn't even confront my students about the way they talk about you."

Akira chuckled a bit s he got up. "I hope not, otherwise my little show would had been for nothing."

Sadayo eyes widened in shock at Akira's admission "Wait, don't tell me you-?"

"Any way, I should head out, don't wan to keep the doctor waiting." Akira grabbed his bag with his left and proceeded to head out. "I'll see you around, sensei."

Once Akira was gone, Sadayo was once again left with conflicted emotion about her student. She was frustrated at herself for having to rely on him once more, but couldn't help to admire how much he is willing to help others. She placed her hand over her eyes, exasperated, but a smile crept on her nonetheless as a small laugh escaped her lips.

"Seriously, I can't let my eyes off you for a second. You really are a troublemaker… Kurusu-kun."

* * *

 **So I wish I could say that it's was all Monster Hunter World's fault for this chapter got so delayed, but I had actually expected that to happen and had made an active attempt to set time for me to work on this story.**

 **Instead stuff, just kept happening in the story that I had not planned for.**

 **Fun Fact for the chapter: Akira's explanation for the laundry and why he had the model gun were things I had planned previously and when I had I was so sure of myself that I had come with a great explanation. As I wrote him though I realized that it made no sense. Morgana statement about Akira telling Sadayo about Iwai, was based on the realization that I had when when he finished his explanation.**


	10. Chapter 9

**I don't own these characters, they belong to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"Really wish I could have a beer..." Sadayo looked dejectedly towards her drink and food.

It was becoming the start of the evening as Sadayo sat on one of the benches at the Shibuya station. She was on her way home from her shift at the convenience store she worked at in Jimbocho. Since they didn't have much for her to do they decided to send her off early, despite her protests about wanting to stay longer.

There was a barely-drunk smoothie standing next to her and in her hand was a small half eaten order of karaage from the nearby stall. She wore her hair in a ponytail with a cap, and had a blue, wave patterned windbreaker jacket over her work uniform while placing her bag next to her.

She had tried to stave off her her hunger as much as she could till she got home since she was running low on immediate funds, but sadly her body was not able to keep it up and by the time she had arrived to the Shibuya station her hunger had become unbearable and she had to put something in her stomach for fear of fainting. She really wasn't the biggest fan of the drink options they offered at the smoothie stand, they tended to have such bizarre combinations and frequently weren't that appetizing. But while beer would had been a much more enjoyable choice, she needed the energy. As for the karaage… It wasn't bad, but sadly it was not as good as what she had been used to back home and it tended to leave her a bit homesick. There was the option of paying for the Big Bang Burger Challenge, since considering the portion that she would get that it would be the most cost effective. But she had been permanently put off by it after her last attempt, which ended with her feeling sick to her stomach that she worried she was going to vomit it back out.

' _If this keeps up I'm going to have problem just paying rent, and it's only the start of the week.'_ Sadayo lamented, nibbling on one of the Karaage pieces. ' _Kurusu-kun mentioned that he would start teaching me how to work with the props and models guns this week. It's a bit early, but maybe I should see_ _if he's available tonight?'_

A smile began to form as Sadayo as her thoughts went to Akira without her realizing it. "It's so strange… I couple of months ago just the very thought of seeing him at school filled me with dread, now I've actually started looking forward to seeing him. It's surprising how much can change in a month." Sadayo's mood improved slightly as she was reminded of that stunt he had pulled earlier today in regards to the rest of the students in her class. Her body relaxing as she exhaled. "It's kinda odd to think that I have a partner-in crime of sorts, but I really owe him a lot. I should really thank him for everything he's done."

The feeling didn't last though as she was then reminded of how he reacted to her attempt to wake him up. ' _Still, I hope he went to get looked at. I couldn't get a good look at it, but he seemed a bit hurt.'_

As Sadayo watched the crowd pass around her, a familiar individual showed up in her peripheral view, as if magically summoned by her thoughts of him.

"Kurusu-kun? Wait… who is that guy?"

Why was he here? He had said that he was heading out to get his shoulder checked and from the look of it he seemed fine, but Sadayo noticed that he seemed to be trailing someone. He was a tall man, wearing what looked to be a long gray coat and what seemed to be yellow earmuffs over a white cap with black lines. He had an intimidating appearance and what looked like a tattoo peeking from his neck which caused Sadayo to grow concerned about Akira.

The rumors at school made it sound like the recent police raid had put the stop to the problem with students being extorted in Shibuya, but Sadayo couldn't help but worry that he might have gotten caught up in a similar situation. She quickly devoured the rest of her food before looking at her drink with hesitation. She really wasn't a big fan but didn't want to waste what little money she had, so with a deep breath she gulped the remainder of the drink, reeling in disgust at the tasted and suffering a bit of brain freeze when she finished before grabbing her stuff and giving chase.

* * *

Sadayo was surprised to see that they had stopped in front of the diner in central street, even more surprising though was the discussion she was hearing when she caught up.

"You sure you're up for this? You look like shit." The large man said humorously.

"I've been better, besides It's not like you could do anything without me." Akira responded in a cocky tone.

"Well aren't you a smart ass?" The man chuckled.

Sadayo was surprised to hear Akira talking to the man so brashly, he could be a bit cocky at times, and he had his moment of snarkiness, but she'd never seen him act this aggressive. Not only that, but even with that attitude that he was giving the man, they seemed to be in friendly terms. It sounded like they knew each other and she couldn't make up her mind on whether that was a good thing or not.

"If you're sure, though this shouldn't be to difficult for you. I need you to escort Kaoru for me while I take care of some business, he should be on his way here."

"You sure you don't want me coming with you?"

"What, you looking down at me? I can take care of this by myself, I'll join you guys once I'm done. Later."

Sadayo saw as the man went into the streets as Akira went in the Diner as she was left to process what she had heard. ' _What did he mean by escort? What has Kurusu-kun gotten himself into? It all sounded so suspicious. I might be able to learn more if I go in.'_

Sadayo took a few steps forward before stopping.

' _What if he sees me though, and why am I even doing this? Should I really get involve_ _d_ _? What if I make things worse?'_

Sadayo could feel a headache coming as she tried to think about what to do. She stared at the entrance for to the Diner for some time and as she bit her lip she went in. While not completely empty, there only seem a few number of customers at this hours which allowed her to easily find where Akira was sitting. He seemed to be checking his phone as he sat by one of the booths on his own, which meant that this person that he is supposed to meet hadn't arrived yet. Noticing there was an empty table behind him she walked straight towards it, all the while doing her best to avoiding eye contact.

' _Pleasedon'tnoticemepleasedon'tnoticemepleasedon'tnoticeme.'_

Sadayo sat down and pretended to look at the menu nervously, worried that she might had caught his attention, but much to her luck he didn't seem to pay her any mind. Some time had passed and she wondered what kind of person this Kaoru is, when she heard Akira call out to someone. She turned her eyes slightly over the menu and was surprised to see what looked like a middle schooler heading his way.

' _ **That's**_ _Kaoru..?'_

She was no more confused than before as the boy stopped by Akira's table

"You're… Kurusu-kun correct?"

"Yep that would be me, you're dad told me to join you here, he said he'll be joining us after he finished with work."

' _Wait that guy was his dad?!'_

Sadayo wasn't fully sure what she was expecting when she had heard about Akira escorting someone and admittedly she let her imagination run wild with her. Her thought had gone to the image of Akira working as a bodyguard from some dangerous people and putting himself in danger situations. Sadayo wasn't fully sure if she rather have him be involved in something like that over the other option, thought the thought of Akira wearing a nice suit and acting like he was courting her after a long day had her blushing madly.. ' _I've been reading too many bodyguard romance stories.'_

"I must admit, I was actually kind of surprised to see you working at his shop when I came to visit last week. He must see something in you" Kaoru commented as Sadayo was brought back to reality.

"I'm sure he just wanted someone to boss around and do things for him." Akira joked as brushed away the compliment.

"No I think he has a lot of trust in you, even if he won't admit it. I mean it's rare for him to invite people out like this."

They continued on with their discussing as Sadayo listened on curious about what Akira's connection was with these people. She also took the time to press the call button and place an order for a drink so as to not arouse suspicion, though she wasn't the happiest about having to spend any more money. Apparently Munehisa Iwai, the father, was actually the owner of the gun shop that Akira had mentioned to her just recently. Though Akira didn't mentioned how exactly he first came in contact with the shop he mentioned how it took him a while to go upfront to Iwai and ask for a job, and she could see why.

'Will I even be able to make it through the interview." Sadayo whispered to herself as she took a sip of her coffee. She still felt uneasy about the guy and was worried that she would either be to nervous to speak up, or crack easily to him questioning her. Still, this was her best chance of getting another job. ' _Maybe I can find a bit more about it him… '_

She became more attentive of their discussion. From the looks of things it sounded like Akira was in no real danger, something that Sadayo was relieved to find. But now she was interested in the store owner. She figured that if she knew more about him, she might not be so frightened of the man."

"Still, I thought he'd also be here, I mean he is the one that told us to meet." Kaoru remarked, sounding a bit worried.

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he is done. You know how it is with him and work." Akira said in a confidant tone.

"Actually, I don't. He doesn't talk to me much about his work."

The discussion had gone quiet. Sadayo wondered if something had gone on without her realizing it, but was worried that looking back would be a bit suspicious when Kaoru spoke up once more.

"Hey… has he ever told you anything. About me… weighing him down?" Kaoru's voice sounded uncertain, almost scared to find out the answer.

"No, not even close."

Sadayo was surprised at the turn the discussion had suddenly taken, but just as much so to hear Akira refute it so quickly. He sounded shocked that he was even been ask such a question.

"Well… To be honest, he's been acting super weird recently. He seemed more stressed out than ever, and I've heard him mention me by name on the phone a few times now. But every time I've asked him about he, all he does is tell me that there's nothing to worry about." Sadayo heard him sigh, along with taping of glass on wood. "I guess seeing that is just making me feel anxious. I mean we're family aren't we… or maybe I'm the only one that sees it that way."

Kaoru was silent for a bit before speaking up once more. "I'm not sure if you know this, but we're not even blood related. Apparently he was a good friend of my parents, and when they died in a car crash he decided to take me in. Honestly I was so young that I don't remember a thing about them… but I wonder if he regrets taking me in, if he even sees me as family.

"I'm sure he sees you as family." Akira finally spoke up. "He worries about you a lot, more than you realize. He's just not very good about showing it, He rather take action. Let me give you a bit of advice. If there is something that I've learned from working with your dad is that you won't get through to him easily unless your straight with him.

"Yeah… I think you have a point about that." Kaoru sounded bit more relaxed, if not a bit embarrassed. "Now that I think about it, that reminds me of his tattoo." Kaoru sounding much more upbeat now. "You've seen it, right? The Gecko on his neck?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Akira respond in curious tone.

Sadayo listened intently as well, curious about the supposed significance of said tattoo. She learned that Kaoru had a scar in a similar spot to where Iwai's tattoo is. He apparently got it in that car crash he's parents had died at. Sadayo had not realized that Kaoru himself had been involved in the car accident and was surprised to hear that he came out of it with only a scar.

' _His parents must have done their best to protect him.'_ Sadayo thought to herself as she felt a slight hint of sadness of having the boy lose both his parents so suddenly.

Because of it, he had been bullied and picked on a lot when he was a young kid and Iwai would come home him crying. So in response he gave himself a tattoo in that very same spot, and proclaimed it their family crest. Sadayo was shocked at finding out Iwai's solution. It sounded outlandish and childish, not to mention what people would had thought of him if they saw it. But the way Kaoru talked with a hint of pride about how it symbolized protecting one's home and family, she couldn't deny that it was probably the kind of things a boy that young needed at that time.

Akira and Kaoru continued their chat in the background, Kaoru discussing how things has been with school, while Akira talked about how things were going on in the shop and his interaction with his dad. Something Kaoru seemed quite interested in since he kept asking questions.

' _Why am I even here?'_ Sadayo thought to herself. She had stopped listening to the two by this point, reflecting more on her actions, as a feeling of regret started to build. She had unfairly suspected someone, she secretly followed them, and then proceeded to eavesdrop on both Akira and his son's conversation. ' _Why did I even decide to follow them, it's not like I could had done something. This wasn't how I planned to spend my evening. And yet here I am, spying on one my students._ _And for what…?'_ Sadayo hid her head in shame over her arms and leaned down on the table. She could hear Akira who seem to be having a good time with Kaoru and could feel a tight sensation in her chest. ' _I-I need to get out of here. He can't find out that I was here.''_

Sadayo was ready to get out from her booth when the large individual arrived.

"Sorry for the hold up, things took a bit longer than expected."

Iwai sounded much more approachable and in a better mood, than he had at the diner's entrance earlier. Sadayo had thought that she could have sneaked by while the two were focus on their conversation, but now she was stuck in her booth, her face buried in her arms as she pretended to be asleep so as to not draw attention of the person who had just arrived.

"Well you two look like you're having fun. What've you been talkin' about?

"Girls." Akira responded immediately

"Huh?!"

"Well aren't you two a little pair of ladykillers? Iwai said as he laughed. "Not that I'm complaining, there are worse things you could be talkin' about though. Wait a minute, does that mean you have a girlfriend Kaoru? When will I meet the lucky lady?"

"I-I don't! I-I mean that's not even what we were talking about!" Kaoru refuted in a panic as both Akira and Iwai simply laughed it off. Sadayo despite her worried demeanor, couldn't help but snorted quietly at Akira's comment.

"Sadly I can't stay for to long, have a couple of errands that still need checking up on. Figured that I still stop by for a bit though instead of just calling on the phone."

"What kind of errands are these? Or is it something you can't tell?" Kaoru sounded much more serious in his attempts to ask his dad, sadly he still ended up sounding more worried than aggressive.

Still, Sadayo raised her head at what Kaoru had asked. While she figured that he was trying to sound serious due to Akira's advice, he couldn't shake the feeling that it felt much more… ominous.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Iwai sounded unfazed by his son's question. "It's just work stuff. Ain't that right kid?"

"I think you should pay for our meal. I mean you wanted us here but arrived late and are leaving early." Akira remarked, strangely avoiding the topic. Considering that he was the one that advice Kaoru about being more direct with his dad, Sadayo found it very bizarre that he'd disregard his question and act like it was no big deal. Something was off, and it caused all those worries she had at the beginning of this to start slowly surfacing again.

"You know, that's not a bad idea. Order anything you want, it's on me."

Kaoru let out a sigh as he got up. "One moment, I have to go to the bathroom."

As Kaoru left, she could hear the ruffling as Iwai probably took a seat where Kaoru had been previously.

"I still think you should tell him the truth." Akira interject, sounding strangely serious, and confusing Sadayo even more on where he stands between the two.

"And like I said, there is no need of telling him such things." Iwai's in turn was much more harsher and aggressive.

The atmosphere between the two had suddenly shifted, and those concerns that Sadayo had came back in full force. The way they talked now though was miles different from how things were before, almost professional, and for a while she had forgotten that one of the individuals talking was her student.

She could feel a piercing glare hitting her way from the back and nervously stayed "asleep", hoping that either of them had noticed anything. While the sensation didn't last long, she was too afraid to raise her head and all she could do is continue to listen.

"He has a bright future ahead of him, and he doesn't need that baggage about his mother to weight him down, and he definitely doesn't need to know that his no-good dad was part of the Yakuza… So don't you go tellin him anything, got it?" His words were almost threatening.

' _Did, did he say Yakuza...?'_ Sadayo felt as if a huge weight had dropped down on to her. ' _He's kidding right? There is no way that Kurusu-kun would get involved with stuff like that. Would he..?'_

"I have no intention of telling him." Akira said with an exasperated sigh. "This is between you and him so it's not my place to tell him, that's on you.' His voice was just as aggressive, but much more tempered.

"Damn right it's none of your business." Sadayo flinched as she heard a slam from the table, probably coming from Iwai's hand hitting the table. "Kaoru is better off not knowing, he doesn't need people looking down on him because of his shitty parents." Iwai let out a frustrated sigh, as he cracked his neck.

Sadayo had found herself unable to comprehend what she was hearing. Just a while ago she heard him comforting Kaoru as she learned about the loss of his parents by an accident, and the actions his adopted father took to for a bond with him. Now it feels like those stories where just lies. Not only that, but it turns out that he might have connections to the Yakuza and Akira was involved somehow. ' _He-he must have been dragged into it. That must be it. Maybe he was forced to working with him, or maybe he saw something that he shouldn't have and was now being forced to keep quiet.'_ Sadayo tried desperately to try and rationalize what she had heard. She couldn't believe that Akira would willingly got involved himself in something like this, but sadly those were quickly dashed.

"By the way, I'm almost done figuring' out what happened with that deal we were talking' about."

"So that info was good then"

'Huh!?' Sadayo didn't like the direction the conversation was going, and as she swallowed the lump on her throat she continued to listen.

"Yep, I'm actually going to be meeting up with the guy that set it all up. I'll let ya in on the details later." Iwai let out satisfied chuckle. "I must admit, it's nice having a reliable part-timer like you around. Makes it a lot easier for me to gather this stuff."

"Does that mean I'll get paid extra?" Akira asked sarcastically.

"Don't push it kid." Iwai retorted before they both laughed it up.

Sadayo on the other hand was at a complete loss by this point. After hearing Akira and Kaoru talk she had convinced herself that it was all in her head. That there was nothing suspicious going on and that was just how they talked to each other. Now though… She couldn't deny what she had overheard, and what she had witness from Akira. She had seen him play up a role when he had helped her out with Ms. Chouno, or when he drew the class' attention away from her, and she had figured that his bravado with Iwai at the beginning was just him once again playing out the role as he seemed his kind understanding self around Kaoru.

She thought that the person she had grown to trust was the real him. The Akira that while messed with her on occasion, always cared for her well being. The Akira that had been wrongfully been accused of committing a crime and hated how everyone saw him as a criminal... The Akira that had learned about her ugly past, and yet still accepted her with a smile... The Akira that made her come here out of concern for his safety…

' _What do I do? It all sounded so sketchy, but I already made that mistake once already, I want to be wrong, but still? Was that the real you Kurusu-kun? Am I just another person to put an act for…?'_

She could feel her chest tightening with insecurity. Akira was right behind her. He was so close, close enough that she could reach out to him, but at this moment felt so far away, and it hurt.

' _I really need a drink...'_

* * *

"Huh, that's strange..." Remarked the usually cheerful fortune teller.

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, perplexed. He was sitting in front of her as she did her fortune, thought not sure at what she was looking into.

The fortune teller in front of him, Chihaya Mifune, had previously scammed him by selling him some salt rock saying it was a holy stone that would help his fate. When Akira went to complain to her about the salt he decided to get back at her by helping out one of her customers out of her abusive relationship and showing that fate could be changed. This caused her to be at a loss for words and had become quite interested in his ability to change fate. Since then he'd been asked to come and spectate and on occasion comment on some of her readings. Tonight in particular he had managed to overturn her original fortune with a business woman who wished to make her own business but seem to be fated to fail. It seemed that all she needed was some encouragement to help clear her doubts and her fortune had changed to that of great success.

"Well every once in a while I take a look in your fortune to see if there had been any changes. It's so strange, for someone who seems capable of changing others fates, your path towards a terrible ruin continues to stay it's course." Chihaya tilted her head in contemplation.

"Yeah, funny how buying that holy stone of yours didn't do me any good." Akira said sarcastically, causing him to receive an annoyed glare from Chihaya. "So what, did it finally change?

"No, that's still goes unchanged." Chihaya sighed, before showing him her reading. "What's strange is something much more recent. It seems like your fate is intertwined with other that are are represented by the arcana, which I find quite intriguing." She proceeds to direct Akira towards the Temperance card. "Very recently though, it seemed like The Temperance card has been showing as reversed to me."

Akira didn't fully grasp what Chihaya was talking about, but he figured that the connections she was referring to was of those "bonds" that he had formed with many individuals, her included. There were a select number of people, for which a voice in his head, one very similar to the one he heard right before he awaken to his persona, seemed connected to one of the tarot cards, something he didn't know till meeting Chihaya and learning a bit more about what they symbolized.

'Which one was Temperance, again?.' Akira pondered to himself as he pressed his finger against his head. ' _Morgana is the magician, Ryuji was the chariot, Ann was the lovers, Yusuke is the Emperor and Makoto is the priestess. Guess it's not any of them'_ Akira was relieved that it wasn't any of his teammates, thought that left the others. 'Boss _is the Hierophant, Tae was death…' Akira chuckled to himself internally. 'That was a bit of a scare the first time I heard it, glad that these aren't literal. Iwai is hanged man, Sadayo is...?'_ As his thoughts went to Sadayo, he remembered that she had been designated as the temperance and a look of concern began to show as he looked at the cards.

"This reversal thing." Akira asked as he looked toward Chihaya with deep interest. "What exactly does that mean?"

"It means that something has happened to cause your connection to this person to falter and halt." Chihaya looked sad, yet her tone seemed distant, as if her mind was thinking of something else. "Eventually you will grow distant and it will be lost." She let out a sight before looking at Akira inquisitively. "You have altered the fates of others so without much regard for it, could this be a sort of backlash for your transgression? Maybe it's divine wrath for looking down at the power of the holy stone?"

"I'm sure fate has done a number on me already." Akira responded, while rolling his eyes at Chihaya's reasoning, but took what she had read to heart. Akira had no faith in the holy stone that she tended to peddle, but her ability to do readings were the real deal and thus he'd come to take any warning she gave him with utmost seriousness, though he still wasn't sure what to make of the M-E-D-J-E one. "Anyway I'm going to head out, I'll talk to you later Mifune-san."

Chihaya nodded, "Very well, I'll let you know when I'm available to do our next verification."

"Sure thing." Akira waved at her and went into the crowd.

The Shinjuku nightlife was lively as usual. While the majority were adults in business suits, gathering together after a hard days work, he could still see what seem like the occasional teenager and probable students wandering around. Since he'd almost been caught once during his first time with Ryuji so he'd made it a habit to keep an eye for any police officers, as well as any shady individuals, at least that was what he would normally be doing. Instead Akira's thoughs were focused on Chihaya's reading, and while he was able dodge and weave through the crowded streets out of habit or instict, he paid little attention to the world around him as he wracked his brain trying to figure out the fortune teller's warning.

He had noticed that Sadayo had been acting a bit differently this past week. She looked more down than usual at class, which was something considering it was her. He had also noted that she had started avoiding looking his way and when he tried to contact her she would quickly refuse, saying she had something else to do. As much as this had bothered him, there was no reason for him to expect her to look his way, and it could had been possible that she had just managed to get a whole lot of hours so she wasn't available. Still, they had made plans for him to start teaching her how to craft stuff at at the workbench and she seemed very motivated back then. Now though, she hasn't even mentioned it and while part of him was hoping that this meant not having to think up a plan to discourage her, it did cause him some concern. The reading only made him worry even more that something might have happened.

"Did I do something to upset her?" Akira whispered to himself quietly in the crowd. "I mean there was that one time that she ran off, but I thought we had gotten over that. Could she still be upset about last week's incident? She seemed fine the next day, but maybe she's still nervous about me having something like that around."

"What are you mumbling about." Morgana tried to catch his attention from his bag with no avail. "Did what Chihaya say get to you or some-?"

Morgana felt the bag shifted a bit as Akira bumped against someone, causing them to trip. "Woah, What's going on?"

"Oww. What the 'ell!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." Akira had been snapped from his train of thought as he turned towards the person that he had knocked over but his words fell silent as he saw Sadayo sitting on the floor. "Ms. Kawakami? He said, trying to keep his voice down to not draw attention.

"Kurusu-kun?" Sadayo looked up, her eye squinting as if to get a better view before letting out a big grin. "It IS you!" She remarked as she giggled to herself, her tone of voice was much more cheerful and giddy than he'd ever seen her even when she acted as Becky. Her expression quickly turned sour though, but not without a hint of playfulness. "You're not followin' me are you…? I mean a student like you shouldn't be out this late at a place like this? Don't tell me you're doing one of those 'Jobs'?"

"No, of course not! I'm just.. wait, what do you mean by jobs?" Akira floundered his words, completely lost to how to react to this situation, or what exactly she was implying.

Sadayo's accusing stare quickly broke as she snorted and began giggling once more. "You're so cute when you're all flustered and confused, you know that."

"What…?" Akira's embarrassment was quickly washed away as he gazed at the smiling woman, still sitting on the ground. He took a deep breath in attempt to calm himself and regain some composure "Ms. Kawakami… Are you okay? What are you doing here?" He responded as he offered his hand to help her up.

Sadayo refused his hand as she got up on her own before placing her finger over her lips. "Don't tell anyone, but I might have had a liiiittle too much to drink..."

"Wait, are you drunk?"

"How rude, I'm not drunk," Sadayo pouted as she looked away "I just needed some de-stressing, that's all." she began to sway as a look of contemplation came over her face. "Though I might have drank a biiit more than usual..."

"De-stressing? Is everything okay?"

"It's nothing, you don't' need to pretend to act like you care." her voice sounded annoyed but sad as she did her best to show a big smile. "I'm sure master is busy **dealing** with other people."

"What are you talking about?" Akira had no idea what she was talking about and was confused by the hostility of her tone. Part of him wanted to delegate it to her being drunk, but after hearing Chihaya reading, he couldn't help but feel that there was something more to it.

He was going to delve deeper in what she was talking about, but stopped as he began to worry about them causing a scene. A drunk teacher and a student in Shinjuku, if they got found out now it would cause no end of problems for Sadayo, but he didn't want to leave her alone, especially not in this state. He needed to find a place where they could talk in peace, but where?

' _The_ _C_ _rossroad is close by, and I'm sure Lala-chan wouldn't ask too many question_ _s_ _. I can't say the same for Ohya though. If she's around I'm sure she'll start asking questions, or worse yet, drag her_ _along_ _as a drinking buddy and make things worse. I could help her back to her place, but the last thing I need is her getting upset with me when she sobers up for entering her home… not to mention I don't exactly know her apartment number, which makes it more likely for a neighbor of her to see us on the way.'_ Akira let out a defeated sigh as he ran out of options. "If it's okay with you, can we talk about this at Leblanc. It's probably not the best to keep talking in the open like this."

Sadayo looked quite surprised at Akira's suggestion, and bit of hesitation could be seen in her face as it grew redder. After a moment of thinking it over she tilted her head and a blatantly false smile spread across her face. "If that's what master wishes, then I'll be happy to oblige." She tried to play out her Becky persona but was unable to keep a straight as she snorted out the rest of the line before going into a giggling fit.

Akira nodded and started to walk back home, he ran his his hand through his hair, and took a deep breath. "This Is going to be a long night…."

It took them much longer to arrive at Leblanc than he had anticipated since he didn't want to take his usual route. After the news of the Kaneshiro's arrest spread, a lot of the students in Shujin felt much more at ease in being able to hang out at Shibuya, and while he was glad that he and his friends' efforts were allowing others to feel safer, he felt a bit annoyed that it was causing him such an inconvenience at this moment. Fortunately for him Sadayo wasn't fully out of it and just so happened know of a couple of different routes.

Akira wasn't sure what to make of Sadayo's behavior at this moment, though in all honesty he had little experience dealing with someone who was drunk, expecially one who seemed as lively as she was. She seemed very relaxed and even giddy at times as she led him around the narrow streets of shinjuku. Akira worried that in her state she would lead them around the city and getting them lost, but much to his surprise, Sadayo proceeded to show him just how much she'd learn from all her years having to walk alone at night. She was able to point out path and show him around the city as they went around the busy crowds and avoided being noticed. While it took him a while to keep up with Sadayo's twist and turns, Akira was quickly able get into the swing of it and soon enough he felt like he was sneaking around with his friends, though the fact that he was following around his teacher around was all the amusing.

It was quite strange to be the one following along this time around. He was used to being the one in the lead and directing the other as they moved forward, even with Morgana as their guide. Though that hadn't changed all that much here, as he had asked Morgana to keep an eye on things from above. It helps to have someone that can communicate with you in the voice of a cat's meow as it allowed Mona to warn him if a path was too risky. It made for some very close saves as Akira was able to draw Sadayo's attention away from some individuals that looked like bad news were heading their way. Still it was clear that she knew what she was doing for the most part and that garnered a certain level of admiration from the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he may be more skilled at the actual sneaking than she was, but she definitely had the home turf advantage.

Things didn't any easier once they reached the train station as it brought its own stresses. Getting Mona back in the bag without Sadayo realizing it wasn't too difficult, but the actual train rides were a different matter. He wanted to maintain his distance from Sadayo for worry of someone seeing them together, but he was also worried that someone might try something while she was in this state. In the end, he stood close by, keeping a close eye on both her, and those in the train with his third eye. He would occasionally look toward Sadayo as she would turn to him and in one instance he'd see her looking his way with an intense gaze which caused him to blush as he turned away. Her cheek were still flushed, but she seemed slightly more sober as she gazed out the window, watching as the lights of Tokyo passed by.

Eventually, after a few train transfers, they managed to make their way to Yongen-yaya. Akira had never been more grateful for how quiet its nightlife tended to be as he was this moment, as the number of people that could be see walking along was almost not existent, probably why Sadayo never seemed to have a big problem coming in and out of the cafe in her maid outfit. They walked down the streets, him taking the lead while Sadayo walked a bit behind. She was being much more quiet than she had been in Shinjuku, though he noticed her humming a little tune as they continued on forward..

"Where is that from, it sounds kinda familiar?" Akira asked, feeling a little bit more relaxed as they made the home stretch.

"Oh! Sorry, I hadn't realized I was doing it. It's a jingle from an ad for one of those big shopping centers." Sadayo remarked, moving a bit of her hair behind her ear as she enjoyed the cool breeze coming from the empty streets. "There aren't any of them nearby, but it's a bit of an ear worm honestly and it's just pops in my head sometimes."

"Then I'm blaming you if it ends up stuck in my head." Akira stopped as they finally reach Leblanc.

He opened the door, and after making sure that no one would see them coming in, signaled Sadayo that the coast was clear and let her enter before entering the store himself. As he closed the door he exhaled in relief as he let his back rest against the door. As he looked up, he noticed that Sadayo didn't take her usual seat by the bench, but at the farthest booth and with her back facing him as she rested her head on the table.

"I think I'll leave this to you two. I have no idea what she'll do if she gets a hold of me in this state and I rather safe than sorry" Morgan whispered as he got out of the bag and left through the window upstairs.

Akira appreciated the privacy, though he was dreading what sort of comments would await him from his furry companion once he got back. He went to the kitchen and filled a glass with water which he placed it on the table next to Sadayo.

"Here. It's not much, but it should help out at least." Akira went to the back and grabbed one of the seats that was being kept there and took a seat by the bench, slouching forward as he rested over the back of the chair. "So… what's been bothering you?"

.

"Are you asking cause you actually care, or are you just acting like you do?" Her tone was sharp, frustrated even as she moved only to take a sip of water, still avoiding eye contact with Akira.

"What are you talking about? Of course I care." Akira's brow was raised, hoping for an explanation for the constant comments she been making about him all night. "Is everything alright?"

"Is everything alright…?" A sarcastic chuckle followed as she put the glass down, before turning to Akira with a forced grin. "Of course it is, everything is just fiiiiine and peachy. It's not like my coworkers are starting to resent me, or that even my students can see just how terrible I am, or the fact that I got fired from one of my other job cause they had too many hires and had to let people go. Suuuuure was great having to frantically search for a bunch of smaller less paying jobs to make up for it." Her act was crumbling as her grievances were spilling out one after the other. As if she had been bottling these up inside and Akira's mere presence caused it to pop. Her agitation was obvious as her hands gripped her hair in frustration as she curled up. "And the payment keeps getting higher, so I'm actually having to take from my living expenses. I was barely able to make rent today and if I don't find a better paying job I'm going to get evicted from my apartment. It was just too much and I needed to do something, so I went to drink tonight since there is no school tomorrow."

"Wait you got fired?! Why didn't you tell me sooner? I thought you wanted me to help you get a job." Even if he still intended to find a way to avoid he getting hired at Iwai's shop, the fact that she herself didn't talk to him about needing a job and hoping to get thing started confused him. "Wouldn't that had helped your situation in some way? So why didn't you talk to me?"

"You wanna know why I didn't tell you?! Because out of everything else, **YOU** frustrate me the most right now!" Sadayo was in full anger at this point as she pointed at Akira.

"Me? Why are you frustrated with me? I just want to help!" Akira responded, letting his annoyance show as Sadayo's constant remarks to him were slowly getting on his nerves, but he was trying his best to keep his cool.

"Are you? Or am I just another idiot to string along to gain favor with? Just like how you acted in front of Ms. Chouno, or how you were another person when you where with Iwai-kun, but as soon as you were alone with his father you were a completely different person."

Akira's face quickly became foreboding as he glared back at Sadayo. "Where did you hear about those two." His voice sounded much more aggressive that he intended, his tone lower, as he instinctively went to Joker mode, but it was the only thing he could do from snapping at her.

Sadayo was quite shocked at the change of character, but whether cause of her inebriated state, her determination to find out the truth about him, or perhaps a mixture of the two, she stood her ground and simply stared back at him with annoyed sneer. "So is this the real you? I heard everything you know, including how you been doing jobs for someone from the Yakuza."

"Of all the- You where eavesdropping on me?" Akira ran his hand through his hair as he tried to calm down, with little success.

Sadayo rolled her eyes at her student's indignation. "Don't take that tone on me... I've seen you eavesdropping on others students all the time at school, so don't act like you're any better."

"I already told you that I had to do what I did cause everyone thought the worse of me and would be talking behind my back non stop. I needed to keep up with what people where saying about me to avoid that mine field of a school. So then you tell me. Why would you do something like that?" His voice was rising as he talked as he neared a breaking point.

"BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU, YOU **ASS**!" Sadayo slammed her hands against the table as she stood up to face Akira, the force causing the glass to spill over to her side. "Oh for crying out loud!"

Akira was left a bit stunned for a second, but then shook his head and started to stand up."Let me get you a towel for and-"

"Don't bother, I'll just dry myself up in the bathroom and be off you're hands." Sadayo walked off the bench almost shoving Akira as she slammed the door shut and locked it. She stood by the door for a moment as she tried to calm herself, but to no avail.

' _stupid stupid stupid!' Sadayo_ lightly hit herself in the head before turning to the sink.

She turned on the faucet and splashed some water on her face in attempt to cool off. She looked at herself in the mirror, part of her hair wet and dropped over her face, water droplets falling to the sink as she moved her wet hair away and angrily looked back at her reflection.

' _What was I thinking…? Why did I think this would be a good idea?'_ Sadayo's hands covered her face. ' _This isn't how I wanted things to go... '_

Ever since that evening, Sadayo had a hard time facing her trouble student. She couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't telling her something, something big, and that feeling had become a heavy weight on her chest. There were many times during the week that she wanted to see him again, to have that peace of mind that she, against all odds and reason, had managed to find in his company. And there were just as many times in which he gave her the opportunity to do so, as he offered to request her. But doubt had started to settle in, and she was worried that if she was left alone with him, that she'd start asking questions. Questions that she wondered at times if she truly wanted answered, and no matter how many times he reached out to her, the fear of finding out that he wasn't the person she thought he was stopped her every time.

But even with those doubts and fear, she still wanted to see him. She wanted to apologize for following him and listening in on his conversation, she wanted to ask him about what she had heard and allow him to explain himself. Even if her worst theories ended up being true, she just wanted him to be honest with her and explain why he was doing those things, she wanted to understand his reason why… So as she walked away from the bar earlier tonight, in her drunk stupor she felt like she could finally confront him about what she heard. She was contemplating contacting him and asking him request her so they could talk, and when she ended up bumping into him and he asked her to join him in Leblanc, she was happy to jump at the chance to do so. But sadly, just like everything else in her life, it blew up in her face as seeing him act as he usually did around her only cause that sense of doubt and confusion to start bubbling out, and in her explosive rant, ended up accusing him.

' _Why am I acting so childish? So what if it ends up that he's been just pretending. It's not like it's the first time that I've had a customers that pretended to act courteous before, and it's not like I haven't been made to work with scary people. I just need to get pa_ _id_ _and get my money._ _H_ _e is willing to pay much more than the others. I should just be glad for that and not look a gift horse in the mouth.'_ Sadayo gripped the sink with her shaky hands as she began to sniffle. "So why… why does the thought of him doing the same so frustrating."

She heard a thud on the door which caused her to jump and as she turned she saw as a silhouette on the glazed window lowering as an audible sigh and the squeaking of wood accompanied it. If she took a guess Akira was right now sitting on the floor with his back against the door.

She rubbed her nose with the cuff of her sleeve as she tried to regain some composure. "What do you want?"

"Sorry just… give me a minute. I just don't know where to start." His voice was a bit muffled from the door between them, but she could tell that he sounded tired. It didn't have the usual cockiness or bravado, instead it sounded much more unsure.

Wanting to hear him better Sadayo walked closer to the door, she hunched over and rested her back on the door as well. "Just be honest with me… Why where you acting so different when you were talking alone with Iwai-san? Are you involved with something dangerous?" Sadayo hesitated as she grabbed at her shirt by her chest tightly. "Is it.. because of me? Are you having money troubles because you keep requesting me?"

"NO, of course not!" Akira was quick to answer as soon as he mentioned that last part. "Though I don't blame you for being concerned about what Iwai said, he does have a way of making everything he does sounding really shady."

"But isn't he part of the Yakuza?"

"Was, actually. When he adopted Kaoru he decided to leave the Yakuza and make an honest living. He may look rough but he's actually cares about him a lot. You should see how worried he gets about people finding out about his past for fear that it might cause Kaoru to be ostracized. It's why I didn't tell you about it, b-but I can tell you that he's not trying to do anything illegal, that's the last thing he wants to do." Akira was quick to add that last statement, which did cause Sadayo to giggle a bit.

"Does he knows about your record?" Sadayo asked, not really sure what she was hoping to find with this line of questioning.

"He doesn't, but it's not like I'm trying to hide it. I guess that's why I feel comfortable working for him, I feel like if he found out about it, he'd be more understanding of my situation than most people. He knows how hard one's past can stick with you."

"He's not the only one." Sadayo was quick to interject, as she heard a bit of a chuckle coming from behind the door.

"Yeah, I know."

"Then why was it that you seemed to act so different around him?"

"It's not like acting or pretending. It's like I told Kaoru, he's a good guy once you get to know him, but you can't back down when it comes to dealing with him. I don't know if it's because of his past, or if he can tell when people might have a bad impression of him and just refuses to interact with those people unless necessary, but if he can tell that you're nervous around him he won't give you the time of day.. You don't know how many times I tried talking to him before he actually acknowledged me being there."

"Why **were** you so determined about having him hire you?" Sadayo asked. It was something that she had wondered every since she found out about him working at the gun model shop, and that curiosity only strengthen when he mentioned his multiple attempts at getting hired. "I mean you said the pay might not be that great, yet you seem like you were very determined to get hired anyway?"

"About that..." Akira went silent soon afterwards for quite some time, which only made him more suspicious. Eventually her broke with a sigh. "I guess cause I don't interact with the customers much since I work on inventory."

"Good to know, I can see the benefit of working in the back." As Sadayo commented, she thought she heard what sounded like a slap along with some mumbling though she was wasn't able to understand what it was about from behind the door. "You okay?"

"Yep. it's fine, just thought I felt a mosquito."

"Mosquito? Well, we are reaching summer. The heat is going to be unbearable."

"Says the person that constantly wears long sleeve shirts."

"Hey, you got a problem with what I wear?" Sadayo turned towards the door crouching and knocked where she imagine Akira's head was resting "I'll have you know they quite comfortable."

"No complaints here, I think they suit you quite well."

"What is that supposed to mean," Sadayo remarked amid a bit laughter. "You really are weird sometimes."

"Who's the weird one, the kid who gives you a compliment of the teacher who works as a maid."

"That would be the kid who keeps requesting said maid." Sadayo was quick to snark back.

Both end up laughing at their little exchange as Sadayo began to relax and sat down on her legs. It was silly and childish, but she missed this, and wondered if he felt the same. She missed being able to talk to him about her problems, to have him cheer her up and talk to her. She missed being able to let her guard down around someone and just be herself. She knew that she had gotten used to having him around, but she hadn't realized how much being able to see him made those harsh days bearable. Which made that feeling of doubt all the more frightening.

There was a bit of silence as their laughter slowly dissipated. It was a strange feeling, even with an actual barrier between the two, he feels so much closer to how she felt back In the dinner. she can clearly imagine him sitting on the other side with that cocky smirk plastered on his face as she leaned forward against the door, resting her forehead against it while she place both her hands on the wooden panel.

"So… what about me, Do you also put up a mask when around me..." Sadayo braced herself for which ever answer ended up coming. As she clenched her hands.

"Would you believe me if I told you?" Akira's tone sounded worried, if a bit hurt by her accusation, His words stung Sadayo a bit but she soldier on as she wanted him to be open with her.

"Why don't you give me a try." Her voice was calming, though still had hints of uncertainty. She could hear the long drawn out sigh as and was expecting the worse.

"Honestly, I never had the time do do so. It's not like I had planned for any of this to happen. I mean how the hell was I supposed to react to finding out my homeroom teacher was dressed up as a maid in front of me. Part of me was having a hard time believing that this was actually happening, and the other couldn't take it seriously for how ridiculous the whole situation was. So I just couldn't help myself and decided to have some fun and tease you a bit for the way you had treated me till then..." He gave out a small chuckle as he remembered back to the little show it put for her that evening. "In hindsight I might have jumped the gun on that one, I didn't take the time to think about how you seeing me like that would affect how you might see my behavior at school. It didn't cross my mind till you gave me that look after I helped you out with Ms. Chouno."

Sadayo joined is as she looked back at how she had reacted as well. "I'll say, I was so scared that you would try to blackmail me that I ended up doing something similar to you."

Another laps of silence occurred, and Sadayo raised her head a bit. "Kurusu-kun, I'm so-"

"I'm not as great a person as you think I am." He quickly interjected. His voice sounded regretful, as if he was ashamed in his actions. "You know I almost left you there alone with Ms. Chouno that day… I'm not proud of it, but a part of me was still frustrated with how you saw me and figured that what's the point of helping someone who hated me…"

"I never hated you, I just…" Sadayo had a hard time finding the words as she tapped her head against the door in frustration. "I just figured that having you around would lead to a lot of problems that I didn't want to deal with."

"So you mean I don't cause you problems."

"I never said that." Sadayo giggled as her fingers pressed against each other. "I thinks It's more that I've gotten used to your kind of trouble making." As Sadayo stood up and opened the door, Akira fell with his back on the ground.

"Ow..." Akira rubbed the back of his head, looking upward to see Sadayo's head poking out from behind the door with a contorted smile as she tried her best to not laugh

."Sorry, probably should had warned you." She offered him her hand, which he took and stood up. "And I want you to know that it's okay… I get why you'd be so upset with me." A warm smile formed as she looked at Akira, with that same feeling of admiration that she felt during their walk. "But what matters is that you did come to my aid, and you continue to do so even now." Sadayo smile became a little sadder as she look downwards and gripped her arm.

"Kurusu-kun… Promise you're not getting yourself into anything dangerous because of me, okay?"

' _I should ask you the same thing. How many things have you been forced_ _to do_ _that you never wanted cause of these stupid payments.'_ Akira at times would think about the kinds of things she's said as a maid, things that caused him to worry about what exactly she had been made to do just for some petty cash. He wanted to ask her, to hear from her how bad it was, heck considering how honest she's being tonight she'd probably tell him. But he worried that it would be like he was taking advantage of her in her mental state, so he held his tongue for now.

"I'm fine so you don't' have to-" Akira looked away, but before he could finish his statement he felt as Sadayo placed her hand on his left cheek.

Sadayo gently guided him to look her way as he looked back at his eyes. She could see they were full of worry as they looked at hers. In return hers were full of guilt as her voice wavered. "Please, Just... promise me. I'm grateful for all that you've been doing for me, but this is my responsibility and you shouldn't suffer or risk your future because of my failure."

Akira's heart ached as he looked at her eyes, he wanted to cup her cheek in his hand, to hold that hand that held his, but all he could do was avert his eyes. "Okay… I promise that I'm not doing anything dangerous or questionable just to help you."

"Thank you.."Sadayo wasn't very confident in his answer. This, as well as his drastic change in attitude when he mentioned the Iwais, more than confirmed that he was hiding something. It may not have been his attitude toward her, or his connections with Iwai, but there was something he wasn't willing to talk about yet. Still she was tired, and though she still had questions, she felt at ease to find out that from the very beginning he had always been honest with her. All she could hope for now is that he would watch over himself and eventually open up the rest of the way to her.

She quickly pulled her hand away as if realizing what she had done. she looked away with an embarrassed expression as she held her wrist close to her chest. "I... should go home.. Luckily it was just water that spilled so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Are you going to be okay? Do you want me to come with you?" Akira seem determined but was halted when Sadayo raised her hand in front of her while covering half her face with the other.

"I'm fine… It's bad enough that I came here like this." Sadayo scratched her head, with a pout. "We really shouldn't be so careless, what if someone had seen us?." She try to give him a stern look as she wagged her finger at him, but her blush betrayed her. "Not to mention the fact that I found you wandering the streets of Shinjuku so late at night. Still, guess we got lucky, so I'll let it slide this time."

Akira gave her a smile as he closed his eyes. "Thanks, I'm lucky I have such an understanding teacher."

"Just-just don't repeat it again." Sadayo took a bow, trying to pretend like her previous actions hadn't happened which caused both to feel a bit uncomfortable at how formal she was being. "Sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I'll be heading out now. She began to head out the door, but was stopped by Akira.

"I should probably go outside and make sure the coast is clear." And with that he walked outside and looked around before signaling her to come out.

"I guess I'll see you on Monday then. Stay safe Kurusu-kun."

"Same goes to you." and with a wave and a bow they parted ways. Sadayo's back slowly drifting away as Akira rested against the wall outside of the laundromat, placing his hand over the cheek which Sadayo placed her hand on till she disappeared. Once she was gone he let out a sigh and walked back home but felt just as he open the door he felt a weight land on his shoulder.

"So how did it go? Didn't get into any trouble did you?" Morgana asked as he adjusted his balance on Akira.

"Nothing happened, we just talked for bit." Akira rolled his eye at Morgana's insinuation as he went back in Leblanc.

"So, were you able to figure out what Mifune-san was talking about."

"It looks like things are getting worse for her. She got fired from one of her jobs and is been doing smaller paying jobs to make up the difference. Because of that mad dash to find those other job she didn't' have any free time for me to call her. I talked to her and managed to convince her to let me request her a bit more often to help her balance things out while she find a better option."

Morgana looked at Akira with a look of concern. "Are you going to be okay with that? We can't just keep hiring her? This is only going to work for so long and we can't always be there for her."

"I know that!" Akira responded with a growl, before placing his hand over his face, his eyes peeking from between his fingers with a glare that he had when he was Joker. "It might be time for the phantoms to get involved, but I'll need to find the relative's names."

Akira refrain from telling Morgana about her having overheard his conversation with Iwai. Partially cause it was wound to his ego that he failed to notice her around, but also cause he figured that Morgana's reaction to finding out would be to convince him to stop getting involved for fear of getting caught. Still he had to be careful, he couldn't be as careless as he had been with Tae so he had to think of a new strategy. "Maybe if I can convince her to ask help from "The Phantoms?"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Morgana asked with narrowed eyes.

"Leave that to me. I'll figure it out." Akira answered with a hint of frustration.

"Just, be careful." Morgana's tone sounding much more worried. "I know you want to help, but don't try to bite off more than you can chew."

Akira did not respond to his friend's concern for some time, before his eyes eventually soften. He shook his head and scratched Morgana on the back of his ear, which he protested but didn't try pulling away.

"Yeah… I just hope I'm able to do something."

* * *

Chihaya was calling it a night as he packed her things before heading home. As she was about to fold her table, she thought back to Akira's reading as she felt something change. She quickly took her cards again and did a reading.

"This can't be… Already the fate between Kurusu-san and the Temperance have changed." Her face contorted between surprise and regret. "So is it actually possible to change fate? Does that mean that if I had…" Chihaya shook her head. "No, he may had cause some changes, but fate is still absolute." She looks at the temperance card, as well as the cards surrounding it with sadness..

"Even if if he was able to turn the reversal around, the Temperance's tragic fate has till to change. It's only a matter of time..."

* * *

 **So the original premise of the first part of this chapter was based of a comic that I found out thanks to Handsomistic15 involving Sadayo hearing about Akira being found wandering the streets at night and following him around as he meets of with many of the other confidants. I found it very cute, but as I thought about it more, the more I wanted to implement something similar to it in the story. It was originally meant as a short comical scene, but it ended up developing and growing to the full chapter you see before you. (So yeah, I fully blame you for this chapter Handsomistic15).**

 **Oh well, at least it allowed me to find a nice spot to add Chihaya into the story, the tarot cards and a mechanic from the older games into the story. Also I picked Iwai since he one of my favorites of the confidants, tied with Tae and just below Sojiro and Sadayo.**

 **I would like to give special thanks to SombodyLost. Thanks for being a soundboard and sharing your thoughts as I worked on the story.**

 **I would also like to mention to Sadakira stories that I've ran into and have enjoyed. The first one being "24 Hours" by OriginalName2 which showcasing Akira and Sadayo as they pend the following 24 hours together and learn more about one another. The other being "Left Unsaid" by rest-in-beats which is a AU story in which Akira and Sadayo didn't get together after the events of her confidant and the metaverse doesn't exist. It's dividing in two parts as one focuses on how would had changed for Akira if the metaverse wasn't a thing and never became a phantom thief as he tries to make it through his probation, and the second focused on Sadayo in the future as she finds herself reunited with Akira years later.**


	11. Chapter 10

**This characters don't belong to me, but to Atlus.**

* * *

Chapter 10

Sadayo woke up to the headache inducing alarm coming from her phone. She let out a groan of frustration as she hid her head under her pillow. She had grown to detest the sound, the worst she had found, but kept it anyway as it made sure that she wouldn't sleep through it. Her hand searched around blindly as it tried to find the blasted phone to turn it off. Once that task was done, she peered out from under the pillow to check the time and sighed as she remembered how early she had set it up. It was still dark outside, as she had set the alarm to go off before dawn, too early for even her, and as she buried her face deeper into her pillow Sadayo slowly began to regret the new job that she had found out of desperation.

Sadayo didn't use to have a problem waking up. In fact in a time long ago she would have considered herself a morning person, but the many years of non-stop work with little rest had slowly taken their toll on her. What time she could manage to get for herself never felt enough, and she always woke up tired and exhausted. Sadly the same could be said about her drinking habits. While she had enjoyed a good drink here and there, she had always been careful about how much she drank. But now the drinking that she had previously done every once in a while to either relax or socialize had become somewhat of a necessity to dull the never-ending stress that she was always dealing with, causing her to drink much more often. If there ever were a silver lining to her financial problems, it would be that it thankfully limited how much alcohol she could afford.

"Ugh… I really don't want to get up." She turned over as she kicked the blanket off her and faced the ceiling with her forearm over her eyes. She wore a white tank and orange shorts, the tank in particular was quite loose, easily showing her midriff while one of the straps slipped down her arm. Her hair was an even more frizzled mess than usual and her body took most of the bed as she twisted and turn in her sleep. Sadayo seriously contemplated calling the day off and just spending the rest of her day in bed, before shaking her head in defeat. "No, I can't afford a sick day, especially since I just got hired."

Sadayo's placed her hand over her head in an attempt to subdue the headache that she was getting. "My head hurts, I feel dizzy, and my body aches all over..." Why did I think drinking that much was a good idea? I'm just glad it was just beer and not saké. I don't know what I would had done if Kurusu-kun had… seen...me..." Sadayo's words trailed of into silence, only for her to bolt up from the bed, her face bright red as the memory of last night started returning.

"Wait. Last night, didn't I-?"

Sadayo memory flashed like a slideshow of impulsive decisions. Her flirtations jabs at Akira when they ran into each other, acting way more familiar with him than she should have. How risky it was for them to wandered the street of Shinjuku together. Her outburst at Akira when he was just showing concern for her. How in a moment of weakness she had thrown all her frustrations at him and even accused him of using her when she should had known better by that point...

And how could she she forget… How she placed her hand on his cheek, her eyes staring towards those kind eyes of his. The warmth that lingered into her hand as she pulled away and held it close to her chest...

She buried her head into her pillow and yelled, her body shaking as she squeezed it tight in an attempt to muffle said cries of embarrassment. "What is wrong with me!? Acting like that with one of my students!" She toppled down to the bed after throwing the pillow, curled up to her side as she pulled her hair back in frustration. "Arrgh, why did I have to run into him when I did? If only I had texted him to request me instead like I had planned..."

By this point Sadayo knew that Akira wasn't like any other person that she'd met before. She, against her better judgment, had grown attached to the trouble student that she called her master as Becky. She did worry about how much him trying to help her would cause him problems, those feeling were genuine and she meant what she asked of him. The problem of the matter was that there had been a barrier that she had always tried to maintain, one that she had set up early on when she had started working at Victoria, but had became especially important once Akira came to the scene, and that was the divide of Sadayo Kawakami the Teacher and Becky the Maid.

Sadayo was a no-good teacher and a coward. Someone who had to keep her distance from her students for fear of causing more harm than good, and this was especially true for Akira. It's not to say that she didn't worry about him, from the very beginning she had seen how the rumors about him only got worse as time went on, how the students continued to isolate him, and how the counselors and some of the other teachers continued to question him at times, just like she used to do before. But despite knowing better now, despite having learned about how loyal and protective he is to those he cares about, about how smart and hard working he is, and how much it pained him to be ostracized by the whole school for a wrong he did not commit, she was too afraid to stand up and defend him for fear of backing down and betraying him when it mattered most, like she had the last time.

Becky on the other hand, was cheerful, energetic and worked hard for many masters. Even if she wasn't the best at her job, even when said masters complained about her looks, her age, or her work. Even if they insulted her, or asked her to do things she wished she didn't have to do… Becky always kept her smile and worked hard to make sure to please her master, but out of all of them there was one that she had grown very fond of. He was so kind to her and understanding of her situation, he was forgiving of her mistakes and always supportive of her in his own weird way. He could be a bit mischievous at times, but considering how easy it was at times to tease him about things, she figured that was him doing the same with her. The more they continued to meet, the more she began to genuinely look forward to his request and eventually she realized that she had begun to care deeply for him. Still, she worried about how much of a strain him requesting her might be to him, and while she was happy that he did, a part of her always felt bad about him having to pay for her. She made sure to remind him every time that he didn't have to do so, but had to admit that it made her a happy to hear him reject the idea of doing so every time.

It was flimsy a barrier that was full of holes, but it was a safety net from which she could justify it as Becky the Maid and not Sadayo the Teacher being the one who had developed such feelings of affection for the young boy. Even that one instance where they had accidentally met near the park she could make a stretch and justify it as him running into Becky outside of her maid job. After last night though, that divide could no longer be argued. Sadayo was the one that teased him by calling him cute and let him know that he was constantly on her mind... Sadayo was the one who entered Leblanc with him a night, complaining about her shitty life, her shitty job as a teacher and argued with him out of frustration. It was her who felt hurt at the thought of Akira not being the person she thought he was... It was Sadayo Kawakami who gently held her hand towards him and with an ache in her chest, made him promise to let go of her if she became too much of a problem for him.

Sadayo looked at her hand, slowly closing it as she remember what she felt at the end of that evening. She had started to worry for some time now. Worry about the ideas that had started to form in her head, the image that came to mind at times, feelings that she never thought she's experience again, the occasional dreams that she plans to take to her grave out of embarrassment.

As the thought of one such dream started to form, Sadayo shook her head. "What is wrong with me. Why can't I get him out of my mind? I'm making too big a deal about this. He's just a good kid, that's all!" In the end though, she convinced herself that's all they were. Thoughts and delusions of a lonely woman who was beyond her prime and tried to alleviate said loneliness by burying herself in too many romance stories, which had started to cloud her perspective on reality. It was just her desperately clinging to the rare acts of kindness that had been given to her by her stubborn and hard working student, her kind and caring master, who simply wanted to help. Nothing more... nothing less...

"I really don't have time for this, I need to get ready for work." Sadayo got out of bed, making sure to not trip over the piles of clothing that cluttered the floor, and headed towards the bathroom to freshen up before work.

The apartment that she lived on wasn't the most extravagant, but it was by no means shabby. It had all the essentials of a bathroom, a separate room as her bed room, and a main room that worked as both a living room and her kitchen. It didn't have a place for laundry machines, but there was a laundromat right next to her apartment complex. It was simple and minimalist, but it was important for her. It was the place that she and her parents had decided on after much searching when she had decided to moved in to Tokyo so that she could finally start her path to becoming a teacher, and they had put a lot of effort to make it her own. From the small blue couch with small end table to the side where a night lamp stood, a kotatsu table where she could spend her time preparing her student's assignment and grading their works as well as bundle under it during the cold winters. To her TV and a shelf filled with all sort of VHS, DVD's and books and of course a number of kitchen essentials, though admittedly most of them hadn't been used in a long time... Her bed in particular had been a housewarming gift from them.

As she finished up in the bathroom she came to her living room and could only lower her head of the state that it was, the small end table by the couch had an assortment of bottles, and wet nap with a trash can near by. the kotatsu was littered with homework assignments, tests and handouts that she had been putting off, smaller piles of clothing were also spread by the couch and even a pillow and blanket lay by the couch as there were times where she was too tired to even reach her bed. The kitchen had fared much worse as dishes were piled up on the sink and the floor was cluttered by trash bags filled with empty beer cans and an assortment of pre-made or instant meals from the nearby conbini. As Sadayo looked sadly inside, she was reminded that didn't even have leftovers and would had to stop at somewhere to eat. With that in mind she quickly changed to a pair of jeans, the uniform for her later job and a windbreaker jacket and proceeded to head out for the morning, reminding herself to get some energy bottles on the way home for the long night that awaited her when she got home.

* * *

As Sadayo made a her first stop, she felt thankful that her mother had pestered her into getting her license when she was young. She always told her that it would never hurts to have one, and she had to admit that she was right. Because of it she had managed to get a last minute job transporting newspapers before stores opened up. While it meant that she had less time to sleep, and that she'd had to rush to schools on weekdays, it was also a daily job.

She went and open up the trunk and pulled up the first pile as she brought it to the store. Once she reached the rack she cut the cord and grabbed the first one. It seemed that the Phantom Thieves where on the front cover of the article yet again, as it talked about the supposed connections between their targets.

"More and more people are talking about them, like I don't hear about it enough at school." Sadayo could only roll her eyes as she tried to ignore it, but as she looked to the other publications, a low groan came out.

Almost every front page story was talking about the Phantom Thieves. From praising them as new heroes, to people describing them as dangerous vigilante based on the information the "Prince Detective" Goro Akeshi had stated previously. Everyone wanted a piece of the action and each had their own theories on who the mysterious group was. Even magazines were talking about them with the only exception being an interview of Boy M, a student in Shujin, and the abuse he suffered at the hands of Kamoshida.

Sadayo hated the fact that Discussion of the Phantom Thieves had continued to spread as time went on, since the topic of Shujin and the scandal about Kamoshida would always be brought up. It was a constant reminder of her failure as a teacher to realize the kind of suffering her students were dealing with. How blind she was to the kind of person Kamoshida was. She felt disgusted at herself for the fact that at one point she thought him an admirable teacher and actually respected him. It's no wonder her students would start to show disdain for her after her attempts to explain her side of things. No matter how much she tried to explain it, for the students that had felt betrayed and hurt, it was nothing more than hollow words and excuses.

Sadayo had thought that even if it would be tiring having to wake up even earlier than normal, it would at least be an easy job. But as she saw the repeated mention of the Phantoms, a part of her wondered if this one another one of life's sick jokes, as she realized that their reminder would now be a daily occurrence both in and out of school.

As she let out a tired sigh, she went back to the van and drove to her next stop. She wanted to finish her delivery so she could make her next job on time, continuing the grinding work pace of what had once been her day off.

It wasn't till late at night that Sadayo finished up with all her jobs for the day. It was jumping from one job to another, with the only break when she finished her day jobs and was heading home to change into her maid outfit. She made sure to pick up a box lunch which she ate on the way home and the energy drinks. She had managed to get a few requests, but it left her body a mess. Her shoulder were sore, her back ache, and her feet were screaming with every step. As soon as she reached her couch she let gravity do the rest as she let herself fall into the cushions. She could feel the weight of her body, wanting nothing more but to take the pillow she had there and sleep the pain away, but as she looked at the paper cluttered table, she was immediately reminded that she still had her work as a teacher to finish up.

She let out a long sigh, letting her body sink into the couch for a bit while looking down. "Why should I even bother, I'm sure most of them are just copied from somewhere else. What's the point of even trying to act like a teacher."

She wanted sleep, she had worked almost non stop today and her body was at its limit. She stared at the pile of paper and part of her wanted nothing more than to just get rid of them and act like they never existed, but as much as she wished for it to disappear, a small cry reminded her that she wasn't a delivery person, or a clerk, or a dog walker, or a maid. She was a teacher, a mediocre good for nothing teacher who had failed her students many times by now and was probably resented by them, but a teacher nonetheless.

Sadayo grunted as she pushed herself up from the couch and reached out to a half empty water bottle, a bottle of aspirin, and a container with muscle cream. Luckily for her, having been working for a while at Victoria meant she had been taught how to give good massages, and a she loosened her maid dress so that her shoulders would be exposed, began to work on her body.

"If it wasn't so expensive, I'd be tempted to call one of the other girls just so I could get a massage myself.' She said, pressing down by her collarbone as she heard a pop, causing her to hiss in pain. "Arrhg, no fair, I work just as hard as any of my customers, if not more so. Why do I have to be the one relaxing them?" Not wanting to go deeper into that rabbit hole of frustration Sadayo tried her best not to stress herself out at the unfairness of it all, instead deciding to focus more on her massage.

She closed her eyes, as she focused on the motion of her hands as they pressed and kneaded her stiff body. As she began to relax, the thought of having someone pampering her continued to echo in her head, and as she focused as her muscles began to relax, she decided to have a bit of fun and began to imagine it being someone else who was massaging her. It took her awhile, what with the position of her arm making it difficult to imagine, but eventually he was able to let go. She let her hand slipped under her clothes, her finger pressing on the knots between her shoulder blades, as a slight moan came from her. While a bit odd, she found herself lost in her daydream, enjoying the image of someone tending to her needs, instead of the other way around. The concept of having someone to come home to was one that she wished she could had experienced in her life, but was probably too late to achieve. Still, no reason that she couldn't daydream of a happier life. As she finished working on on her shoulders her head couldn't help but look towards where her imaginary person would be, as her mind proceeded to conjure the image of of a familiar gray eyed student, giving her his signature smirk.

Sadayo quickly open her eyes wide open in attempt to eject the image out of her head. "Nononono- Bleh" She cried out in embarrassment, as she covered her face and shook her head in defiance, only to stop in disgust at the fact that one of her hand still had ointment in it and ended up getting in her face. She let out a tired sigh as she went to grab a wet napkin and washed her hand and face. It was a bit messy, but it distracted her enough to get that image out of her mind. "What is wrong with me? I'm not what those people said I was, it's not like that." The conflicting thoughts only getting harder as she ruffled her hair while letting out a prolonged groan, causing her pigtails to escape from their hair ties and releasing her hair to its natural state, although a bit straighter than normal. Eventually Sadayo managed to block out those thoughts, as she proceeded to take some aspirin and down it with the water bottle to help lower the aches, as well as the new headache that was forming. She proceeded to turn on the TV so she could have something distracting her, then, without changing, she working on the papers, black and white skirt spread around her.

The show seemed to making a feature on the politician Yoshida Toranosuke. As she worked she heard about the supposed scandals he had gotten himself into, known as "No-good Tora's three strikes". And how it cause his political career to end 20 years ago. Sadayo had never heard of these scandals, considering she didn't live in Tokyo at the time and was still quite young, so when they mention that he still continued to run for office even now, she wasn't sure if to admire his dedication, or feel like he should quit considering what he's reputation was. After all, there's impossible to come back when you fall that hard.

The show eventually cut to a showing of one of his speeches that he did not too long ago, and as he spoke, Sadayo found herself quite surprised that she was becoming intrigued by what he was talking about. Deciding that she couldn't focus on her work at the moment she set her eyes on the TV. Her eyes opened wide as her pen dropped from her loose hand. The man known as Yoshida continued on with his speech, garnering a growing crowd, both those interested to hear about what he had to say and those that came just to heckle him. What little that managed to make through her shock was still interesting, but by this point she didn't care about what he was talking about. Her focus instead went towards the young man holding the sign behind him. Someone who by this point was no way she would mistake for someone else.

"SERIOUSLY!?

* * *

"You're surprisingly good at this." Akira took the time and examined the vanish ball that Sadayo had made with a look of surprise, which made the teacher smirk victoriously.

As he promised, Akira had begun teaching Sadayo how to work on the bench, and while she was happy to accept his request once more, a part of her was still nervous. When she got the request call from him that evening, she had ended up spending more time than she would had admitted in front of the mirror in her bathroom. She spent that time preparing herself mentally, reminding herself of her position, who she is as a person and the reality that she is simply reading too much into thing and is simply misunderstanding his views on her. She lightly slapped her cheeks to pump herself up, and as she looked into the mirror she did her best to give a big grin, but had been disrupted by her cough.

"Don't act so surprised. I've had my share of weird jobs in the past, once you explain the process it wasn't so difficult." Sadayo pouted

Akira had to admit that he was quite impressed at how well she managed to pick it up. Considering it was her first attempt, and after noticing her yawning a couple of times, he figured he'd best start with something simple and didn't require soldering. It wasn't perfect and it took her much more time than it would had taken him, but she did surprisingly well for her first attempt.

"So you've done stuff like this before then?" Akira asked, quite curious about the kind of jobs Sadayo must have done in the past.

"Well not this exactly, I've just done a few that required some assembling of parts. Sadly they were either too far, or a bit dangerous for the amount I was getting paid. So I didn't stay for long."

"And yet you still have trouble when it comes to cooking." Akira remarked teasingly, while putting the ball in one of the shelves to avoid past mistakes.

"Those are two separate things!" Sadayo vehemently protested before turning towards the cat by the table. "Though I won't lie, it was a bit difficult to concentrate with your cat meowing angrily the whole time. Is he always like this when you're working? Feels like he was trying to tell me what to do."

"She made so many rookie mistakes Joker! It would had gone so much better if she could listen to me!" Morgana protested

Akira chuckled as Morgana tried to defend his side of the argument. He spent the whole time yelling at Sadayo as she worked, hoping that something would get through, and while it looked like she got the hint on some occasions, most of his advice had gone ignored.

"Don't mind him, he just very curious about what you're doing at the table." Akira gave a shrug as he shook his head, acting as if he couldn't understand the annoyed feline protesting his reasoning. "Luckily I've done it enough times that he doesn't try to get in the way."

"Is that how you treat the person who taught you how to make these in the first plaWAAH!"

Sadayo picked up Morgana from the table as she petted him gently. "Poor guy must be agitated by the noise and smell… there there."

Morgana grumbled at being picked up once more by Sadayo as he noticing Akira having a hard time keep his composure, but decide to play along.

"Seems like Mona has gotten quite used to being handled by you." He remarked as he poked the cat's nose with one of his smirks, letting him know that the comment was more towards him than Sadayo.

"Well as I had said before, I get along quite well with cats so it's only natural." Sadayo remarked with a huge grin on her face.

"Plus she's much nicer than you, I think I'll just get comfortable for now." Morgana proceeded to curl up and lay down on top of the apron from Sadayo's dress before sticking his tongue out at Akira.

"Aww, look master, I really think Morgana has gotten quite attached to me."

"Well anyway we should get work on the next assignment." Akira went to the bench and took some parts and one of his previously ice sprays. "Let's work on the cold spray can and." Akira turned to see a worried Sadayo as she hadn't moved form her spot. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm kind of stuck right now..." Sadayo said as she looked at Morgana. "I didn't expect him to fall asleep so quickly, but if I get up now I'll wake him up. What do I do master?" She looked at Akira with puppy dog eyes.

Morgana snickered at his victory over Akira. All Sadayo heard though was a purr which made it even harder for her to leave.

Akira wanted nothing more than to flick Morgana's ear, but considering how Sadayo was reacting, he was sure that him being hostile would only get him on her bad side. Having to admit defeat Akira made a note to get some payback at another time. "Then let's take a break for now."

"It's fine, I can keep working form over-" Sadayo's word were interrupted as she felt something hit her throat. She covered her mouth and looked and turn to Akira with an uncomfortable smile. "On second thought, I'll take you up on your offer. Is it alright if I ask for you to makes us some coffee to drink? I have another job after this so it would really help." Sadayo looked away awkwardly, blushing slightly as her fingers fidgeting against each other. "Besides, it's been a while since we shared a cup together."

Akira looked at her with a raised brow. "Sure... is there any blend in particular that you'd like?"

Sadayo smiled at him, in an attempt to act normal "Surprise me, I trust your skills when it comes to sort of stuff."

"Very well, I'll be back soon." Akira proceeded to head down stairs, but stopped and turn to her before going down. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, just had a bit of dust hit my nose." Sadayo started with a grin, before taking a look around at the room. "Seriously, no matter how much I clean it, it always stays dusty, it's probably be easier to demolish this and be done with it."

"I rather not lose my place to sleep thank you very much. Anyway I'll be back soon."

Sadayo waved with a smile as he went down. Once she stopped hearing his footsteps, she covered her mouth and began coughing, making sure to muffle herself so wouldn't hear her.

"What am I going to do…? I can't afford to get sick." Sadayo said with a worried look on her face. Suddenly she felt some ruffling and noticed that Morgana was looking her way. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry…" Sadayo hand proceed to pet Mona, and much to her surprise he seemed much more willing to let her than normal. "What's this? You usually a bit feisty about me petting you. Are you trying to comfort me?" Sadayo remarked as she continued petting the cat on her lap. "We'll just keep this our little secret, okay? I'm sure if our master found out he'd be worried sick."

Sadayo could start to hearing the coffee siphon being put to work, The aroma starting to make it's way upstairs. It was quite a pleasant one and Sadayo was looking forward to seeing what he had decided to make this time. It had only been a couple of weeks since the last time since he had made her some coffee, but she really did miss those moments and was glad that he accepted her selfish request. A weak smile began to form, realizing how happy she was about a such a trivial thing as drinking a cup of coffee with one of her student. A small chuckle coming at how desperate she must be, before coughing some more.

"It's strange, this isn't at all how I'd imagine things would go, especially not with… him." She picked up Mona as she looked at him in they eyes. "Your owner is so weird, did you know that, kitty? Even after all the things I said to him, the way I treated him, he's still wishes to help someone like me, he's just too stubborn for his own good." She giggled happily as she thought of her master, a genuine smile ever growing as she went on, even ending with a playful pout with her last statement.

But as she realized what was happening she shook her head to stop herself, her smile slowly turning sullen as she put the cat down on the floor. "But that's just the kind of guy he is. He's just trying to help me out of kindness. So I have to make sure that he doesn't push himself too hard. I can't continue to rely on him, it's not fair to him…"

Sadayo was surprised at how attentive the Morgana was being, he almost looked sad to her. Sadayo just smiled back at her furry audience as she rubbed her right eye before leaning down and giving it some scratches behind the ear. "Thanks for listening, you're almost as good as Kurusu-kun. I guess it's true what they say about owners and their pets." Sadayo proceeded to clear her throat, hoping to withhold any more coughs, followed by her lightly smacked her cheeks to prepare herself, makings sure to get back in character. As she stood up she gave a big smile. "Why don't we go and keep Kurusu-kun some company. After all as his maid, I should be by my master's side." Sadayo proceeded to head downstairs as Morgana stood there for a bit and shook his head.

"Those two just keep trying to dance around their own feelings. Though can' say that I blame them... It's not an easy predicament after all."

Sadayo arrived to see that Akira had just finished the brewing and was about to pour a cup when he noticed her coming downstairs and gave her a smile. "I thought you said you were stuck and couldn't move from your chair."

"Looks like he got bored and decided to wander off, so I might as well come join you." Sadayo remarked, trying to sound disappointed.

"I'm honored to hear that Mona was kind enough gave you permission to come see me then." Akira joked as he glanced at Morgana, but noticed that his feline companion didn't seem to be in the same mood.

"So why did you name your cat Morgana, when you keep calling him Mona?" Sadayo asked as she took a seat. "Why not just name him Mona?"

"You can blame Ryuji for that, He kept calling him Monamona until he eventually settled with Mona. After that it just kind of stuck." Akira said with a shrug.

"Why am I not surprised..." Sadayo groaned as rubbed her brow. She could easily see Ryuji having difficulty pronouncing Morgana's name and making up simpler nickname. "Though I guess that means they've come to visit you. They must have been surprised when they saw the place. I know I was."

"Well Ann commented that it was cleaner than she imagined." Akira remarked with a cocky smile as he leaned forward, resting his head on his palm. "Not surprising considering who I've been requesting often."

Sadayo started blushing at Akira's implication. She cleared her throat as she tried her best to remain composed. "Yes, well… I do the best that I can after all. Anyway! I was just reminded of something. I saw you on TV yesterday, It looked to me like you were working for that Yoshida Toranosuke guy. So is that another one of your part-time jobs or something?"

"More like volunteer work." Akira confirmed without hesitation, handing Sadayo a cup of the coffee he had just finished brewing before pouring some for himself. "I kept running into him on my way to work and I liked what he was saying, but no one seemed to pay him any mind. So after having a talk with him I decided to help him out, which he welcomed.

"Never saw you as one interested in politics." Sadayo replied as she waited for the coffee to cool a bit, enjoying the nutty aroma it provided before taking a sip. "By why even bother trying to help him out? From what I heard on TV it's not surprising that nobody wants to listen to him, considering what he's done in the past and all." She looked at her reflection on the black beverage. "Something like that… tends to follows you till the very end." Sadayo turned to the small chuckles of her student. "What's so funny?" she remarked, a bit miffed by his amused reaction, but more curious than annoyed..

"Nothing, I honestly kind of agree." Akira said as she scratched at his cheek with a sigh. "No matter what I do or how things turn out, I'll probably never get rid of the stigma of having a criminal record. The fact that people still see me as a delinquent in school even now is proof of that."

A look of regret was immediately present on Sadayo's face. "Oh no, Kurusu-kun I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Akira added, not bothered by said implications. "I may never be rid of that stigma, but I also can't let it stop me from moving forward and trying. Like I said, I don't regret helping that woman, and if I had the choice I'd do it again, cause I don't want to be the kind of person that just stands there when others are in need of help. In Tora's case, he knows he screwed up all those years ago, but he wishes to continue forward and learn from those mistakes. So if I can help him move just a little bit further, then I think my decision to help him was worth the time."

"Kurusu-kun…" ' _Yeah… cause that's the kind of person you are.'_ Sadayo was once again surprised by the level of maturity that Akira would have at times. She looked at Akira, eyes once again filled with admiration as he spoke up of his belief. She could feel her heart began to flutter, causing her to turn hide her smile behind the coffee cup after he finished up. "It's weird hearing refer a politician in such friendly terms. You've clearly spent too much time with him, you even sounded like you were making some sort of speech just now."

"Well he can't pay me for helping him out, so he's been giving me some public speaking lessons." Akira scratched the back of his head, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I guess a bit of him has rubbed off on me."

Sadayo couldn't help but giggle in amusement at seeing Akira acting embarrassed. With a coy look on her face she leaned forward and rested her head on her palm. "You're a high schooler with a criminal record, but you behave in class and do very highly on your test. You live in the attic of a coffee shop and help out on the shop at times. You apparently buy dirty used cloth to either sell or keep, you work in a model gun shop with some scary looking stuff, and you volunteer to helping out a very controversial politician." A smirk showed in her face, as she leisurely waved her index finger. "And lest we forget that even with all of that, you make sure to find time to request and spend evenings in the company of a maid. You really are a strange kid."

"What about you?" Akira replied with a laugh, before giving a cocky smirk of his own. "You're a teacher who despite her many complaints about not showing any interest, is far more perceptive than she lets on.. You've jumped multiple part time jobs, with one of your more recent ones being moonlighting as a maid." It felt like Akira was going to say something, but stopped himself as he continued on. "You're surprisingly resourceful and you know your way around the streets of Tokyo in ways I haven't see anyone else do and know a lot of things that I never expected a teacher to know. You're a master fisherman, seem to know how to sneak around and avoid crowds, are quite good at assembling parts, but seem to have difficulty with cooking. And to of course we can't forget the fact that one of your frequently customer as a maid is one of your student."

"Yeah... We really are strange pair aren't we?" Sadayo smiled. A bit flustered, but not surprised to see Akira turn her teasing back towards her. Still, she noticed as Akira seemed a bit hesitant for a moment. He usually doesn't skip a chance to mess with her, so the fact that he had stopped himself was very odd. "Hey Kurusu-kun, is there something on your mind?"

"What do you mean?." Akira was sounding a bit more reserved than usual, avoiding Sadayo's gaze as he did so.

"Well it sounded like you were going to say something in the middle of that but you caught yourself.' Sadayo tilted her head slightly. "Was there something in your mind."

"It's nothing, just me being dumb about things and I rather not say it out loud."

Sadayo was blinked as she looked at Akira in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Akira seemed hesitant, but after some glances from Sadayo he took a deep breath and spoke up. "I'm talking about the things that you've been made to do, and if your okay?"

"Well I've done my fair share of weird jobs, but I haven't gotten seriously hurt."

"That's not what I'm talking about…" Akira continued to look away from Sadayo as he tried to find a good way to explain. "Do you remember what you told me, that first time we ran into each other in your maid job?"

"Do you mean when I told you that I don't requested often?"

"No… I mean the one before that…" Akira's cheek were bright red at this point as he continued one. "About those **Special** services?"

If Akira's cheeks was bright red, then Sadayo's entire face was as red as tomato as she was reminded of her choice of word that evening. "OH GOD NO! No, it's nothing like that! That is are just for more intimate options, but the most we are permitted to do is stuff like letting customers rest their heads on the our lap, or provide them with a massages to help relax their bodies, but it doesn't go any further than that." Sadayo was frantically explaining to Akira the limitation that her job entails, wanting to clear out any misconception that her job entailed.

Akira looked a quite relieved to hear this, though still seemed just as embarrassed as he was a moment ago. "I'm sorry, I knew this would be awkward, I should had probably not said anything."

"NO, it's fine. It's not surprising that you'd think that, considering the way I phrased it after all. So I'm glad we could clear that out" Sadayo was having a hard time being able to look at him at this moment, just as he was her. A part of her was a bit happy to hear him showing concern for her, but then that meant that he must've had thoughts of that nature involving her at some point, which had her being much more self conscious of her maid outfit than she had been in a while, causing her to instinctively place her hands over her chest. Then there was the fact that even if she hadn't done anything too drastic, that didn't mean that there weren't things that she felt ashamed of doing, and as much as it she felt disgusted by it, there had been very moments where she had considered such options, if it meant her getting the money she needed.

She didn't want to say any of this to him though, she didn't want him to feel disgusted by her and wanted a change of topic, fast. In desperation Sadayo let out the first thing that came to her mind.

"He-hey, have you noticed how popular the Phantom Thieves have gotten as of late? It's kind of shocking considering they started in Shujin..."

Sadayo immediately cursed herself out internally. She both hated talking about the group, and equally hated how they increasingly became the topic of conversation. But sadly that all everyone had been talking about, for the past months, which made it hard for her to avoid.

"On second thought… let's not. I'm sure you hear about them enough as it is, you're probably sick and tired of hearing about it."

"Actually I wouldn't mind talking about them! I've been meaning to talk to you about it, but unsure on how to bring it up." Akira interjected with much vigor an excitement, not wanting to let this opportunity slip by.

Sadayo was caught off guard by the enthusiasm of Akira's response, causing her to dread what was coming next. ' _You too huh?'_ With a deep breath, she brace herself for the incoming discussion as her she glared at him. "Did you now?"

"Well yeah..." Akira responded nervously, noticing the hint of hostility in Sadayo's voice. "I mean, I know you've mentioned them being talked about at schools, but you've never really told me about what your thoughts were on them."

Sadayo just sat there looking at him with a raised brow. "Why does that matter? The student clearly won't stop talking about them between their complaints of us, every media outlet is talking about them, even the other teachers keep bringing them up since said articles and news cast keep bringing up Shujin." Sadayo hands gripped on her dress tightly as she could feel her frustration rising. "No matter where I am I can't turn and look without them being brought up and I hate it! Every time I hear about them I all I can think of is…" Sadayo suddenly stopped herself, realizing how defensive she was getting over him just asking her a question. She noticed her hands shaking as she let go of her dress as her body slouched forward. "Sorry… This probably isn't what you wanted to talk about..."

"It's fine." Akira responded, maintaining his calm composure as he poured Sadayo another cup.

Akira had already expected that Sadayo wouldn't be very pleased with him bringing up the Phantom Thieves. She had on multiple occasions complained about how much they get brought up at school, and no doubt their drastic jump in popularity would only make her more agitated. He had to admit though that he wasn't expecting her to be as hostile as she had been, nor how shaken she was looking before she stopped herself. He actually felt bad that their group's success where causing her this much trouble. Still, if his plan to get Sadayo to ask The Phantoms for help was to work, then her cognition of the group would have to change.

As he poured a cup of his own he went and took a seat next to Sadayo and turned to her. "I understand that it's frustrating. But you must admit that the phantom thieves have been helping a lot of people who felt alone."

"I know.. trust me I know." Sadayo maintain focus no her coffee, still upset at herself for snapping like she did at Akira. "I've heard Mishima-kun talk to you excitedly about them. How it's because of them that you guys didn't get expelled by Kamoshida. How they punish terrible people who've caused pain to others because of their selfishness. But if that is true then..." Sadayo's held her arms instinctively, a gesture that Akira had learned to recognize.

From the way Sadayo was acting Akira figured that Sadayo was still blaming herself for doing nothing when Kamoshida was going to expel Ryuji Mishima and himself. Something that he never gave a second thought about so didn't want her feeling bad over it. "It's fine. I don't blame yo for letting those expulsion orders go unquestioned. I mean you didn't know what was happening, plus me and Ryuji didn't have the best reputation."

"I'm glad you feel that way," A bit of a smile managed to show, but it looked like Akira's words hadn't fully reached her, as her tone still remained sullen, maybe even scared. "But in the end it doesn't matter what you or I think. In the end it all depends on how **they** see things." Sadayo finished up her second cup, standing up and clapped her hands before turning to Akira with a forced smile. "I should get back to working, maybe I'll try cleaning up your room a bit more. After all, the room has enough dust as it is, so we can't let it build up too much." Sadayo turned and began heading upstairs, leaving Akira to clean the dishes.

"Looks like things are going to be harder than we thought." Morgana commented as he leaped next to Akira.

"Yeah, and I'm worried about what she said just now." Akira finished up cleaning the equipment and had Morgana climb on his shoulder. "Hopefully we should have enough time to convince her. It should go quick enough once we've gotten their names."

"We may have less time than we would like." Morgana interjected causing Akira to give him a worried look as he climbed upstairs.

They reached the top to find a coughing Sadayo, who quickly turned to see them and started making excuses about it being too dusty, none which Akira seemed to be believe as he became more concerned.

Morgana gave Akira a worried look as he could see the way he looked at Sadayo "I think she's getting sick."

* * *

"Is everything alright Ms. Kawakami?"

"Huuuh? What do you mean?" Sadayo slowly raised her head from her desk at the teacher's lounge, looking at what seem to be a surprisingly worried looking Ms. Chouno.

"Well, I apologize if I'm prying a bit much, but you don't seem to well. Honestly, you look half dead."

"Sorry, I've just been having to deal with a lot recently." Sadayo slowly stood up, her body aching as she did but doing her best to hide it She gathered her stuff and turned to a smile not too different to the one that she would give as Becky. "If it's alright with you, I think I'll be heading home now."

"That's… probably for the best. Make sure to get some rest." Ms. Chouno's concern was very obvious by her response, to the point that she didn't even argue with her leaving so suddenly.

Sadayo could only chuckle internally at the fact that even Ms. Chouno was feeling worried for her state of health as she walked the school hall, her work assignments close in hand.. This past week had been much rougher than Sadayo had anticipated. Almost every hour of her day was spent working, whether it be delivering papers, working at Shujin, walking her neighbor's dogs, doing inventory in the back room or working as a maid, Sadayo had little time for anything else. This included having any real time to eat, as she had been forced to rely on energy drinks and small packaged foods to hold off any hunger. Obviously sleep had also been compromised as she begged her manager at Victoria to give her more hours, and while she had actually managed to convince him to do so, it meant that her sleep time was reduced even more.

By this point she was a wreck. She looked very pale, which only made the dark rings over her eyes even more noticeable. She constantly suffered from migraines that made it hard for her to focus and at times she found her vision would begin to blur, causing her to have to hold on to something and just wait it out as her balance was affected by it. The last few classes had been incredibly difficult for her to even finish as her hand would shake when writing on the board, and she could hear some students commenting on how out of it she had been, making note at how dead she looked at times. Still she powered on through it all. She had managed to just barely make it till Friday, but in truth it was only cause of Akira...

True to his word, Akira made sure to request her every day for a couple of hours. He would simply request her for things such as watching the laundry, making some simple prop, and cleaning up a bit. He even told her that she was free to take a nap once she was done before he would go off and do whatever it was that he did at night. While Sadayo was grateful for this and had admittedly taken the opportunity to do just that, she was always quick to ask if there was anything more that she could do to help, but he would simply refuse saying that he had things taken cared off and just needed a hand with maintaining things organized.

Sadayo would at times wonder where her master would run off to at night. And as his request became more frequent the more she began to noticed some of his habits. Whenever he would head out at night he would always come back either tired or worried, He seemed to have just a bad a habit as her when it came to his food choices, despite his better knowledge in the kitchen, and for some reason he would frequently carry Morgana around in his Shujin bag when he went out at night which she actually found quite endearing at how close they seemed to be. Still, he would always stay and chat with her whenever he came back till she would have to go for her other request. He would admittedly try to bring up the Phantom Thieves every once in a while, much to her frustration, but he was considerate enough at least to end the topic when she asked him to.

Wednesday night in particular was very memorable to her. Akira had actually stayed in Leblanc as he worked on his school work and she had asked if she could try her hand at making him some coffee to help him out. She figured that after watching him make it so many times she would have a good grasp of it, so when he said that it was fine she excitedly went to work. Everything seemed to work out fine, grind some beans, boil the water and then pour the water on the ground up coffee bean slowly till it was finished. Once done she poured a cup and offered it to Akira with a big smile filled with anticipation and nervousness. It wasn't the first time that she had served someone something, but Akira wasn't just anyone, and she didn't want to let him down. Sadly as soon as he took his first sip it was obvious that she had failed in her attempt by the way he his body cringed in reaction to the drink. He tried hide and told her that it was definitely a "unique" flavor, but a quick sip from her own cup let her know just how bitter it had turned out. But just as she was going to sulk in her failure Akira simply complimented on her on being able to use the equipment without any problem and said that she simply needed to learn how to work the different coffee beans. He then closed his book and proceeded to teach her what he had learned from Sojiro for the rest of their time together, which much to her surprise, she ended up enjoying quite a bit.

Sadayo couldn't help but let out a small giggle as she remembered the enthusiasm of which Akira talked about all the types of blend and how they could work together. It seemed that he had taken the lessons that Sojiro had taught him to heart and had even started making his own blends. Sadly her happy memories were suddenly interrupted as she heard a group of student laughing in the back of an empty classroom.

"I mean if the phantom thieves targeted someone as dangerous as that Kaneshiro guy, there's no reason they wouldn't target someone like that Kurusu guy." Remarked one of the male students.

"Fo' real, I mean, at the school principal allowed him to come to our school, but after what happen can he really be trusted?" One girl mockingly remarked.

"I mean They should be working extra hard to make sure that we feel safe after all, and I'm not sure I'm feeling it with that criminal in the same building as us."

"No kidding! It would be a lot easier for all of us if people like him got his heart stolen, just imagine how he'd look all groveling and crying for being a piece of trash."

As the students continue to laugh, Sadayo felt herself becoming more and more irritated. Her body was tensing up as she held the paper tightly, her teeth gritting as she continued to listen to them insult and look down at Akira.

' _He_ _didn't do_ _anything wrong, he's not_ _like that_ _. All he wanted_ _was_ _to help someone in need. Why does everyone have to keep looking down on him when they know nothing about him?_ ' Akira's gentle smile flashed in Sadayo's mind as the student continued to incriminate him.

"I mean have you heard what kind of things he did in has old school? Blackmail, sending people to hospitals. All you need to do is add sexual harassment and we just have ourselves another Kamoshida.."

Hearing them compare Akira to that man was the last straw. Sadayo slammed the door open, startling the students, as all eyes were turned to her.

"Stop being so loud in here, school is already over for the day." Her voice sounded agitated, but she had managed to keep her anger in check that it sounded more of a frustrated tone than an angered one "If you're going to be talking this loudly about people that you don't know and make those type of accusations, then you better know about what you're talking about. Otherwise don't say such unnecessary things and take your talk elsewhere, you're bothering the students who are _**actually**_ studying for their midterms."

Sadayo then closed the door and proceeded to head out, but before she got to far…

'What's up with her, acting all high and mighty."

"She's just annoyed because she has to deal with that Kurusu in her class."

"I heard that she's telling people to stop talking about him."

"Probably cause she doesn't want to deal with him and act like he's not there."

"That's so irresponsible! She clearly doesn't care about what he will do to any of her students.."

"Maybe Kurusu isn't the only one that should get a change of heart."

Sadayo bit her lip as she gripped the papers tightly with both her hands, causing it to wrinkle up. Going back and yelling at them wouldn't help anything, doing so previously only made it worse. Sadayo walked away in defeat, her eyes stinging and strained. "Why did I even try…"

As she left, Ann came out from hiding behind the stair, looking rather confused at what she had heard on her way out. "That was odd. Was Ms. Kawakami… defending Akira?"

* * *

"Are you okay, Becky?" Akira asked from the workbench. He turned his head towards the maid as Sadayo began coughing again..

"Of course, don't mind me, after all I'm bound to get a bit of dust in me as I clean up the room." Sadayo responded in a much more tired tone than she had probably intended..

Akira was a bit worried, as looked back at the message that she had sent him today.

 **[S]:** Please request me tonight if you can, master.

 **[S]:** Whatever it is that you need, I'll be sure to do them.

 **[S]:** So please, don't hesitate to call.

He had planned to doing just that, so that wasn't a problem. What worried him is how desperate it sounded, and her constant coughing both at school today and soon after she had arrived wasn't helping in the matter.

"Are you sure? you don't' sound very good."

"Well I haven't been getting much sleep. Working has been keeping me much more busy than normal these and the Takases continue to increase the payment every week."

Akira fully turned to Sadayo, giving his full attention as his face became more concern.

"Please don't push yourself okay, if you need to rest then you can sit down."

Sadayo quickly forced herself to act more energetic at hearing Akira offering her to rest. She didn't want to rest, she wanted to help him out in anyway that she could. She wanted to make up for her failures as a teacher and do something, anything, to return the kindness that he had given her. And she didn't want him worrying about her.

"Oops, sorry, force of habit there." Sadayo said with the biggest grin that she could muster, as she playfully bopped her head. "I was just lying so that I could be lazy and get out of work, guess I don't' have to though since you know the truth. Anyway... I should go back to cleaning-"

As she quickly turned around, another dizzy spell had hit her and she felt herself toppling down. Just as she thought she would hit the ground she found herself being held up by her arm as Akira had managed to grab hold of her.

"Sorry, must have tripped." Sadayo tried to explain, before a loud growling in her stomach destroyed the last defense in her act.

"When was the last time you ate?" Akira questioned, sounding both concerned and upset. as he helped her straighten up.

"It-it's fine, I'm just being careful about what I eat that's all." Sadayo pushed him away and looked away as she felt her chest tighten, though whether it was because of how close Akira was, or a cough coming soon she wasn't fully sure till said cough came forcing itself out not to long after. As she turned to see an upset Akira, and she couldn't help but feel like she failed him once more.

"That's it, we're heading downstairs." Akira walked past her towards the stairs and waited for her, his hand held up as if waiting for hers. "Come on, I don't want to risk you tripping while on the stairs.

Sadayo was surprised and stammered as she stepped back. "It-It's fine, you don't have to go this far for-."

"I'm your master right now aren't I?" He smiled as he said it, being much more playful and mischievous. "I just want to make sure no harm falls on you while in my care."

"That's cheating." Sadayo grumbled to herself as she huffed, but only after the second growl from her stomach did she conceded and took his hand. "Fine…" She complained as their hands met.

Akira's hands were strong, but she could feel how gentle he was being as they climb down stairs. He directed her to one of the booths and asked her to rest while he got ready and went to the kitchen. She lay her head down on her arms as she saw him looking at the fringe before he turned to Sadayo.

"Now that I think about it, you never did get to try my curry. Seems like I have enough ingredients here to make some, so I think this will do.

Sadayo looked away as she was reminded of that evening. How she learned the truth about his record and how she had fled for fear of being hated by him after she admitted to him that she had been lying to him the whole time. The fact that after all of that, she was still able to enjoy his company was a bit of a blessing as she gave Akira a soft smile. "Sure, with how confident you were, I'm expecting something good."

Akira simply nodded and went to work. He was very careful about how did things, and constantly keeping an eye on the pot as the water boiled. Sadayo figured that he was being extra careful so that it didn't turn into another incident. It took a while which meant her stomach kept interjecting with it low growls. The aroma certainly wasn't helping, as it started to make her salivate a bit.

"Mmmmmr…. It smells really good…" Sadayo complimented sleepily as she let out a loud yawn."

It had been a long time since she had a nice freshly made, home cooked meal, and despite her hesitation, a part of her was excited for this opportunity.

"I'm happy to hear." Akira said victoriously as he skimmed the water. "And I'll be looking forward to hear you thoughts on the meal itself once I'm done. Normally I would be serving this with coffee, but with your condition, I'd worry that it'd do more harm than good, but I do have a large number of drinks from vending machines, just let me know of anything non-alcoholic and I'll see if I have it."

"Coffee and Curry huh? That's an interesting combination." Sadayo looked at him suspiciously as he continued to let her know what's available. "Seriously though, it feels more like I'm the one who requesting you." She complained with a pout, a bit jealous at how well he seemed to play the role without effort.

Akira gave a small laugh as he lowered the heat and let it simmer for a while. "I don't know. I think I'd look quite good in a butler outfit, don't you think?" He placed his hand on his chin in contemplation. "If I had to pick a butler name, I think Sebastian suits me quite well, don't you think?."

Sadayo could easily imagine Akira dressed in a butler outfit, holding up a tray with some coffee and sweets in them, as he bowed and asked her what she would wish for him to do for his mistress. Her cheeks growing warm as she hid her face. "How should I know?"

"Either way, sorry it's taking so long. If I knew how to make something faster I would've, but this is the only thing I know how to do well."

"I remember you mentioning that some time ago, what do you do for food then?" Sadayo asked, turning her raising her head a bit as she turned back to face Akira.

"Mostly ramen, stopping at the big bang burger and a prepackaged stuff from the convenience store." Akira checked on the pot to make sure there weren't any problems before checking on the rice cooker. "As you've probably noticed I tend to be very busy so I tend to grab stuff on the go. The ramen is usually for when me and Ryuji hang out together. Though I guess I also tend to get a crepe as well whenever I'm with Ann." Akira looked upwards in contemplation as he began counting up with his hand. "Makoto and I tend to stop at big bang burger or the diner when we study, and Yusuke…" Akira gives a small sigh as his head slouched downward and scratched his head. "It's hard to tell what we'll be doing next with Yusuke."

' _So similar to what I do._ ' Sadayo thought to herself, but as she listen to what he mention she took note of someone she hadn't met before. "Yusuke, is he another friend of yours?" She asked after hearing a name she hadn't heard him mention before.

"OH, umm yeah. he was the one that had to stay over at my place that one time, you wouldn't have heard of him."

"Are you sure?" Sadayo stared at him with a raised brow. "I'm sure I've heard that name before…. Yusuke, Yusuke, Yusuke…" Sadayo continue to repeat the name as she tried to look back, but her concentration was disrupted by a bad cough. "Oww...That hurt my throat a bit."

"Don't worry about it." Akira quickly interjected quite hastily for some reason. "Here, The curry is done. I also got you some ice tea with lemon, hopefully it helps with your throat.

"Thanks" Sadayo turned to look at the food. It definitely looked appetizing and as she took the first spoonful into her mouth she couldn't help herself from letting out a moans of delight. "It's really good. Consider me convinced of your skills, master" she said with a youthful smile. maybe it was the fact that she quite starving by this point, but at that moment, this was probably one of the most delicious things that she had the pleasure of eating, and once she was reassured of how good it was she began to dig in.

Akira simply sat on the other side of the booth, a satisfied look on his face as she quickly finished up the plate. "I'm glad to hear, There's still a lot more so feel free to have seconds if you wish Ka-Becky?" Akira quickly straightened up and cleared his throat, as he accidentally let her name slip.

Sadayo turned to the now blushing master with pensive eyes and a spoon partially in her mouth. they remained as such for what seemed like half an hour for Akira in silence which made him all the more nervous, but eventually Sadayo spoke up.

"It's fine." Sadayo said as he looked down at the mostly eaten plate of curry.

"What is?" Akira turned towards Sadayo, completely caught by surprise, but not wanting to assume anything yet.

Sadayo's cheeks went red again at having to say it again, "I said it's fine for you to call me Kawakami, **as long** as we're not at school.

"Thank you…" Akira said with a big grin as he was positively beaming. which made Sadayo feel a bit embarrassed.

"It's fine, just figured that there was no point in denying it by this point.." Sadayo finally took notice that Akira didn't seem to have a plate of his own. "Aren't you going to have some as well?

"It's fine, I'm not that hungry."

"Oh no you don't, you probably haven't eaten anything either." Sadayo was quick to remark with a glare. "You may not be in the same situation as me, but you should take better care of yourself. You're still developing, so nutrition is important right now." Sadayo scooted farther into the booth as he patted the area next to her. "Bring a plate over here."

Akira was a bit surprised by her suggesting, but did so anyway as he came to join her with a fresh plate of curry. As soon as he did Sadayo proceeded to grab the spoon and get a nice amount of the curry in rice. "Here, let me help.."

Akira was blushing and immediately looked away. "I thought these kind of services cost extra." He protested, though a part of him was kicking himself for trying to refuse her offer.

Sadayo wasn't fairing any better, as her blushing was just as obvious, but was able to keep her composure. "It's fine, think of it as a special 'Fed by Maid' service as a reward for being such a caring master. Besides, this is probably better than me feeding you whatever it is that I make."

Her voice was much softer and caring. Akira could feel it reverberation in his ears as he felt his heart race. Taking a deep breath he close his eyes and nervously waited to accept her offer. It was a weird sensation, with his eyes close, he was painfully aware of how quiet the cafe was as the sound of the metal spoon scraping the plate alone was making him feel anxious. Soon the silence would be broken by Sadayo's voice as she softly asked him to open wide, and for following instruction he was rewarded with a spoonful of the curry rice. It was strange, it wasn't any more different than he had in the past, but for some reason the taste was of a category all of it own. As Akira's face looked shocked, at this new information the sound of her giggling followed.

"See master, that wasn't so bad." Sadayo teased, trying her best to keep composed.

She continue to offer him spoonfuls, her heart beating fast as she imagined how the two must look to other if anybody saw them, but a bit happy that Akira seemed to be enjoying her services. Eventually though she dropped the spoon as she suffered another coughing fit. She tried to clean up while apologizing but as always Akira made sure to that she was alright before cleaning up the mess and giving her her the rest of the bottled tea to see if it helped. Showing more concern over her health than the mess she'd made. She just was so frustrated at how much she keeps messing everything up, but she also felt very lucky. Lucky to have run into someone like him. Lucky that of all the people in her school to have learned of her job and her past, it was the young man by her side.

"Kurusu-kun?" Sadayo called out, her hand fiddling with with the spoon on the empty plate.

"Yes...Kawakami?"

"I'm… really glad that it was you who ended up finding out about my maid job." Though still feeling a bit under the weather, and tired, Sadayo did her best and gave Akira the biggest smile that she could muster. "It's nice having someone that I can confine with. It makes things, just a little bit easier."

Sadayo's honest smile... Akira could never get enough of it. They were rare, but when they did show up she Akira couldn't help but feel his chest swell up with joy. Even with how tired she looked right now, in that moment she was positively radiant.

Akira couldn't stop himself at smiling at the beautiful maid that was by his side. "That's good, I'm glad Mona has been help you open up a bit more." Akira joked, trying to hide his embarrassment behind a nonchalant response."

"I'm talking about you, you brat." Sadayo playfully shoved Akira as she reprimanded him midst her laughter, once again interrupted yet another cough.

* * *

 **[S]:** This is Becky, here to send you all my positive energy.

 **[S]:** My grammar might be perfect, but my health isn't.  
 **[S]:** That's the state I'm in right now.

 **[S]:** If it's okay with you, would you request me?

Sadayo sent out the text, and hoped that he would get a response from him. Despite Akira's best attempts at helping her last night, Sadayo woke up the next day at a worse state than she had been the day before. This was probably cause of the cold sweats and lack of sleep that had only been accumulated even more. It was so bad that she had to arrive at school with a face mask as her coughing had gotten much worse. Many of the student simply joked of her looking like a Yankee, but she could see the looks of concern from both Ann and in particular Akira. Her class had turned into another study session since she found it too difficult to even teach, she spent most of it asleep on the her desk in class, or at least she tried to. Even the other teachers wondered if she should have stayed home today.

Work in her other jobs were no better as many of them told her to go home since they didn't want to have her working her shift in this state. In the end all she could think is how she wasn't getting the hours she needed, and wasn't going to have enough for this week. Once again she was forced to rely on her student. Sadayo haven't heard anything yet, but figured she would soon so she made haste to arrive at her apartment so she could get changed. The train's swaying was particular bad today as she had to hold tight for fear of falling over, the blur of people around her making it just as hard to maneuver the street, and the shaky ground made it hard to walk.

' _I'm sorry Kurusu-kun… I'm sorry that I have to rely on you_ _again._ _Will you be upset with me… Will you get tired of me… Why's the world spinning…'_

Pain surged to her as she hit the ground. Panicked cries rose as a crowed gathered around her. She didn't know what was happening. She was scared, alone, and as everything faded to black one person remained in her mind till the very end...

"A...ki...ra..."

* * *

 **Man these chapter are getting long. Hopefully it makes up for the long wait between chapters.**

 **Not much to say at the moment that that won't spoil some of the stuff I have plan, so just say that the image of Sadayo grading school work while still wearing her maid outfit is very cute.**

 **Thanks again for SombodyLost for their continuous help, and** **next chapter will be going to the hospital, and encountering some... "lovely" people. Their be some good stuff though, so look forward to it.**


	12. Chapter 11

**These character don't belong to me, they are the property of Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"She never responded back..."

Akira stared at his phone as he sat at one of the stools near the yellow phone at Leblanc. Since the group had gathered today after school to discuss about what they should do for their celebration party, he wasn't able to check his phone till after they had parted. Luckily the meeting was quickly disbanded as Makoto reminded everyone that test where coming up next week so any party plans would have to be put on hold. He made sure to message Sadayo to let him know as soon as she was free so he could request her, but sadly, she never responded back. He would have called Victoria by know, but Leblanc ended up having one of it's more obnoxious customers staying longer than usual which made it impossible for him to do so. Not having many other options he simply sat around and stared at his phone, his expression growing more and more worried as time went on.

"I'm sure she is just busy with one of her other jobs." Morgana commented in an attempt to ease Akira's worries. Leaping out of his bag only after the last customers had left the shop and the closed sign had been turned over. "She did say that she's been working a lot more hours these days."

"That's what I'm worried about..."

Akira was already worried about the state of her health after what had happened the previous night. She had almost stumbled and fallen to the ground, and would have hit hard if it hadn't been for his quick reflexes. And then, just as he had managed to get her to smile and get her to be more relaxed, she ended suffering from a bad coughing fit. He tried to convince her to cancel her other appointments, that she didn't look well and that he was more than willing to pay for those hours and let her rest. But instead she just refused his offer and gave him a resigned smile as she told him that his time had already run out, and while she wished that she could stay longer, he was no longer her master for the night. She was also quick to remind him again that she was fine and he shouldn't just be throwing away money like that. That he should be spending his time with his friends, or people his age, instead of wasting away his evening to keep someone like her company.

He hated how easy it was for her to smile as she talked about herself in that manner, how she thought so little of herself and would always describe herself as a waste of his time, when it was so very far from the truth. When she had walked away that evening, a part of him wanted to chase after her and try to convince her one more time to stay. A feeling that he wished he had followed through after seeing her the morning after…

* * *

As Sadayo walked into class, the whole room seemed to whisper quietly in either confusion, or mockery. She looked dead, coughing constantly under her face mask, her eyes glazing over, and seemed to have trouble keeping balance. On several occasions she would have to be called by another students before she would snap out of whatever daze she was in. It would continue to occur for a couple of times, before she finally frustratingly gave up and turned the class into another study session.

It pained him to see her in this state, knowing that she was working herself to death to pay whatever money those 'Guardians' where demanding. From the look of it though, it seemed that Ann had taken notice of it as well.

"Is it me, or is Ms. Kawakami… not looking very well? She looked like like a ghost or something." Ann turned around towards Akira, with a worried expression. "I mean, I know she usually looks tired, or disinterested. But today was on a whole other level."

"Yeah..." Was all Akira could muster as he continue stare sullenly at the door from which his exhausted teacher stumbled towards. "She looks like she's about to collapse from being overworked."

"Overworked?" Ann asked, now focusing on Akira with a mixture of curiosity and confusion, noticing how concerned and worried he sounded when he mentioned it. "I mean yeah she looks terrible but, why would she be overworked?"

"Just… a hunch I guess." Akira closed his eyes, trying to sound as casual as he could about it, all the while making a mental note to request her tonight if possible.

Ann seemed lost in thought for a few seconds but shook her head as she turned around "I don't know..." She turned to look forward, a look of annoyance showing as she mumbled to herself with disdain. "It's not like she bothers to do anything..."

Akira felt his chest tighten up at hearing Ann's last comment. She had every right to be bitter towards the staff members of the school, but he wished he could had explain things more to her. Ann had a habit of worrying more about others before herself. She may not be the smartest of the group, but when it came to people, she was always a very empathetic and caring person, so she would probably be much more understanding of Sadayo's situation if she knew, about how she blamed herself for not being able to help someone she cared about, how much she is willing to do to try and make amends, even if he believed that she going the wrong way about it. Maybe she would be able to help in convincing Sadayo about the Phantom Thieves. Maybe having her show concern would mean more to Sadayo, considering what she had to go through with Kamoshida and Shiho. But he had made a promise to Sadayo that he wouldn't tell anyone about her extra jobs, and until Sadayo asked for The Phantoms' help, he couldn't bring himself to break that trust with her.

Eventually Mr. Hiruta entered the room and class continued. Akira looked around afterwards to see if Sadayo was around before he left to meet up with the group, but from what he had overheard at the teacher's lounge she had already gone home early. Sadly he knew better and figured she had gone to one of her other jobs. All he could do now was wait and see, and hope that nothing else happened.

* * *

"Having women problems kid?" Sojiro walked towards Akira with a smirk, having put his coat on and hat in hand. "You've been staring at your phone the whole time you've been here."

"Huh? Well yeah, I guess you could say that?" Akira snapped out from his thoughts, lowering his phone as he looked away in contemplation. "Just a little worried I guess."

"Have you tried getting in contact with her?"

"Well actually, she messaged me to get in contact with her, but she hasn't responded to my text message ever since."

Sojiro gave out a noticeable huff as he shook his head, which took Akira aback. "A text? That's no good, it looks like you have a lot to learn." He lectured him with a stern tone. "Listen kid, if she asked you to reach out to her, then you need to take the lead and give her a call or go see her. Something so trivial as a text won't do it."

Akira chuckled a bit, not expecting this kind of lesson from him, especially considering who it was about. "Guess you have a point about there. I'll do just that then." He responded with an assured smile.

"Just make sure that it doesn't get you into trouble. The last thing I need is someone coming here after you cause you screwed it up." Sojiro said with an exasperated tone, before putting on his hat. "Anyway I'm heading home, close up the shop for me will ya?"

Akira nodded "Sure thing Boss."

Sojiro nodded back and gave Morgana a pat on the head before walking towards the entrance. Right as he was about to open the door, he stopped and turned slightly towards Akira with a curious look. "By the way, this wouldn't be about—"

"It's not Ann." Akira quickly interjected.

"Shame, she's a good kid."

With that Sojiro took his leave. Akira waited a bit as he made sure that he was fully out of sight before going to the yellow public phone. Feeling a bit more relaxed, he called Victoria and requested Becky once more. The phone seemed to ring a bit longer than usual, but as Morgana had said, she could just be busy and attempting to reach the phone. Then the ringing stopped, and an unrecognizable voice on the other end spoke.

"Hello? to who am I speaking to?"

"Yes, hello. This is Akira Kurusu. Is this... to whom am I talking to?" Akira felt uneasy. Not knowing who the other person on the line was, he refrained from mentioning Sadayo's name, just in case.

"This is the Head nurse at the Aoyama Hospital. I'm speaking on behalf of Sadayo Kawakami."

"Hospital..?" Akira's unease slowly shifted into fear as Akira began to fear the worse. Swallowing the lump on his throat, a shaken up Akira began to inquire for information. "Why is Kawakami in the hospital? Did something happen? Is she all right?"

"It seems that she fainted in front of the train station. She had been directed towards urgent care and her emergency contact has been informed. If there is something you which to talk to her about I can take a message and make sure she gets it?"

"Where are you located at? Can I see her!?" Akira hastily whipped out his probation diary and pen and quickly wrote down the hospital's location and Sadayo's room number after getting confirmation to visit her. Why did he wait too long? He should've reached out to her sooner...

Akira slammed the receiver back, shouldered his bag, and moved to the door in one stride. Incapable of hearing or thinking of anything, his self-recrimination and worry for Sadayo circled his mind and carried his feet, even as Morgana yelled, unheeded.

"HEY! JOKER!"

* * *

Sadayo slowly opened her eyes to the bright light coming to the ceiling. She could hear a beeping sound that came from her left and felt a sharp pain coming from her head and right arm. Her vision began to clear up, and she noticed that she was in an enclosed room. The beeping was coming from a monitor that seem to be checking her vitals as a number of devices have been put on her; to her right was a liquid-filled bag with a cord going all the way to her right arm. She lifted her arm, took notice of the I.V. that had been injected into her, and began to remember what had transpired.

It was all coming back to her now. She had collapsed on her way from work in the middle of the street, and she had probably been taken to a hospital and was now in urgent care. Her body felt heavy and still ached from the pain of the fall, but she slowly pushed herself to sit up from her bed and look at her surroundings.

It was definitely a hospital room. Other than the stools, the medical equipment and a lone empty vase it was quite barren and sterile. And it looked like she had been changed to some hospital garbs. She has some bandages wrapped around her forehead and upper right arm where it was sore, probably from her fall. Finally, not to her surprise, she was alone, accompanied only by the noises coming from her vital monitor.

"I screwed up." Sadayo looked down at her her bed, her hands clenched in frustration. "This was the worst possible time to collapse. I still don't have enough money to pay them today? And what's going to happen to my other jobs." Sadayo placed her hand on her chest, grabbing hold of her shirt. "I won't be able to make enough money unless I start doing... **that**? Will I be able to make enough money if I transfer over? Is that really the only way...?' Sadayo's thoughts weighed heavily in her mind. The feeling of helplessness and inevitability of what she would need to do, what she would have to give away, to make amends was becoming grimly apparent.

"HEY! No running in the hall, mister!"

"Huh? What's going on, out there?" Until now the hospital had been very quiet, but someone seemed to be forming a ruckus outside. "It's no different than the commotion at school with Sakamoto-kun and— Kurusu-kun! I texted him before I collapsed, did he respond back? Where's my phone?" As Sadayo tried looking around her room for her phone, the sound of footsteps rapidly became louder. The sound of the sliding door hastily being opened grabbed Sadayo's attention, shocking her at the sight.

There _**he**_ was… Breathing heavily and sweating all over, as he held on to the door frame to keep himself from falling over. He wasn't showing his usual bravado and cocky attitude, but instead looking much more concerned, though he seemed a bit relieved when he saw her as he let out a long sigh.

"Ku-Kurusu-kun?! Why are you— How did you—?" Sadayo was wide eye at encountering her student here of all places. Her words stuttered to find the right thing to say and her cheeks colored bright red.

"Sorry for taking so long." Akira replied, each word halted between breaths with his head slouched downward. After catching his breath he raised his head as he looked towards her. "I tried to call you and was told you were here, so I got here as fast as I could..."

"Young man!" A nurse yelled back at Akira, causing him to turn around as she came towards the entrance to Sadayo's room. "I understand if your concerned for the patient, but that doesn't give you the right to run all over the hospital. Please be considerate of the other patients and staff member, you could had run into any of them."

"Sorry… I apologize for my rash actions." Akira bowed, giving his apology as the nurse continued to lecture him.

' _Why? Why is he here? He looks so tired, like he could fall over at any moment. He didn't have to rush all the way here like he did. He didn't have to come at all… And yet he did... because he was worried about me…?'_ Sadayo began to smile, her chest swelling with joy as she watched her unexpected guest getting berated by the nurse while he continued to apologize till the nurse left them alone. Just as things were starting to feel bleak for her, here he was, once again caring and worrying about her when he had no need to do so. The fact that he rushed to her aid as soon as he heard that she was in the hospital made her happy, so happy that it was hard to contain, and as they were left alone she started to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, causing Akira to look at her with confusion.

"Sorry, sorry..." Sadayo apologized, trying her best to keep her laughter down. "You just came in out of nowhere that it caught me by surprise. You didn't have to rush in like that, you know. You really can't help getting into trouble, can't you?"

While her laughter had caught Akira by surprise, seeing her smiling like she was just now and being so lively put his heart at ease. She still didn't look the best, the bandages and the medical equipment showed that she definitely was not at full health, but she was awake, there was life still in her eyes and her voice, and after another long sigh Akira gave her a warm smile. "Sorry for being such a troublemaker."

Sadayo did her best to calm herself and took a deep breath. She gave Akira a playful smile. "Seriously... Why do you worry so much about me? It's kind of embarrassing. But honestly... I don't dislike that, so I'll forgive you. Like I said, I've gotten used to your kind of trouble making."

Akira looked towards Sadayo, the expression on his face seeming a bit calmer than he was before thanks to Sadayo outburst, but it still showed signs of concern. "They told me that you had collapsed in front of the station." Akira looked down, ashamed of his failure to help her when she had asked for his help. "I'm sorry, If only I could had requested you when you messaged me."

"Kurusu-kun it's fine. I went down only a few minutes after I sent the message, I don't think there was much you could do to stop it. Besides, I was just a little overworked. There's no reason to make a big a deal about it, so don't go making that face here." Sadayo's body was still a wreck internally. It felt heavy and it ached all over with each movement, not to mention that all previous signs of her exhaustion were still noticeable. But even with all of that though, for some reason seeing Akira rushing in to see her with such concern made all the pain that much easier to bear. She didn't want to worry him, she wanted to look more reliable to him so he wouldn't worry about her all the time. She did her best to console her sulking student, pushing her voice to sound much more cheerful and lively than she had the whole day.

"Here take a seat, you could probably use a breather. I know it's not our usual meeting, but I wouldn't mind if you'd stayed a while." Sadayo gestured at the stool by her bedside.

"Wait before that..." Akira looked around and noticed the vase by the drawer and proceeded to walk towards it. After placing his bag down he opened it and began to rummage through.

"Don't tell me you brought Mona with you? Sadayo commented with a raised brow. "A hospital isn't the place for a—" Sadayo went silent as Akira took out a small flower arrangement. ' _Wait, is that a…?'_

They were purple dahlia flowers, with a small assortment of plum blossoms on either side. Akira proceeded to put them in the small vase and set them up into a very nice arrangement. Surprisingly, he seemed to know what he was doing.

Sadayo stared, astonished at the arrangement, in particular the choice of flowers. "Why did you get these, and when?"

"Sadly there was a gap in time between the trains from Yongen-yaya and Aoyama in Shibuya Station. I was getting restless, so I figured I'd stop by at the flower shop. I actually got lucky and caught Hanasaki-san— oh, she's the owner of the flower shop by the way, and I asked her for some flowers. I've worked there a couple of times so she already knows me and was happy to help." Akira scratched his cheek, looking back to when he bought the flower with contemplative look. "Though the grin she gave me when I asked her about it has me a bit worried about the next time I come in for work."

"So you've been working at a flower shop as well. I think I've seen it a couple of times when I'm at Shibuya Station." Sadayo responded with a coy smile, happy to learn a little bit more about her mysterious student, before changing her focus to the flowers. "And I'm going to guess that your manager is the one that chose the flowers? Interesting combination." Sadayo was less surprised after she heard Akira's explanation, though for some reason she felt slightly disappointed.

"Actually… she picked the plum blossoms, since she said that they smell quite nice. The dahlia was my choice."

"Really?" Sadayo's shock this time was much more noticeable, which caught Akira's attention. "How come?"

"Yeah, I read a book on flowers this one time, and when I learned about them, I guess it made me think of you."

"Did it now…?" Sadayo giggled, all the while blushing at her students thoughts of her. "May I get a closer look?" Akira nodded and as he passed the vase to her. Sadayo took a nice whiff of the flowers; the plum blossoms did smell nice, but her attention was on the purple dahlias. "When I was younger I really liked dahlias. To hold grace under pressure, to make a commitment to your ideals, to make a positive change. Those were the kind of things that I aspired for as a teacher…" She held the dahlia on her right hand, her fingers softly caressing its petals fondly. "So when you said that they reminded you of me… I guess I was reminded of my dad..."

"Your dad?" Akira asked softly.

Sadayo nodded as she continued to gaze serenely at the flowers, even as memories that she had tried to repress started to bubble back up to the surface. "Yep, it was my dad that told me about dahlias. He was a teacher himself back in my hometown. He was very stern, and could be quite scary oftentimes, but he was always so passionate about his job, and cared for his students. Sadayo's expression brightened up as she began to talk about her father. She perked up as she turned to Akira. "Oh! Did you know? He was the reason that I wanted to go into teaching. I was always so curious when I was a little girl. He was very busy and came home tired, but he would still make time for me and mom. One day he came back home so exhausted, but look so pleased with himself, so I asked him why he always looked so happy even though he was tired he told me, 'Seeing others grow up to do great things, I can't help to feel pride in being a part of that growth. And that includes you Sadayo. I know you'll also grow up to do great things, and I can't wait to see how you live your life.'"

Sadayo handed Akira the vase as he put it on the counter before moving the stool closer towards Sadayo and taking a seat.

"After that, I began to really admire how dedicated my father was, and I wanted to experience that pride. I think mom was a bit jealous of dad at times." Sadayo chuckled. "Though there also was this cartoon that I used to watch when I was younger that also got me intrigued about being a teacher," Sadayo mumbled the last part, feeling a bit embarrassed in admitting such a childish motivation.

Akira chuckled. "He seems like a great man."

Sadayo nodded, but then went sullen as she let out a weak sigh. "Yeah… but he passed away for some time now." Sadayo turned her gaze to the surprised Akira, who looked a bit shocked at her bringing this up. "It was soon after I moved in to Tokyo while I was at college. I got a call from my mother. Dad had suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital, so I took some time off from my classes and rushed back home. When I arrived to the hospital I was really shocked at all the people that had come to visit my dad. Almost all his students were there and were wishing their best, and during the whole time he kept on smiling and apologizing for having everyone worry..."

Sadayo hesitated, her chest tightening as she contemplated continuing. She turned to look back at Akira — his familiar, gray eyes, warmly and solely focused on her, his eyes never darting away… and Sadayo couldn't stop herself.

"Sadly a few days later he had another heart attack, and that one… that one proved fatal. It was so painful to lose him, I wanted to show him that I could be a great teacher too, I wanted him to see him beaming with pride at what I had accomplished thanks to him and mom's care and support. Instead me and my mom had to spend the next couple of days preparing his funeral. I kept breaking down in tears at the very thought that he wasn't around anymore. Mom was also devastated, and we both were dreading the whole thing. But then we were surprised when a number of his students arrived the few days later. They offered their condolences and wanted to help with preparations. Mom and I were surprised, they were much younger than us, but they did everything they could to make things easier for us. And in the funeral day, I learned that a decent number of the people who came to pay respects were actually old students that had graduated and had grown up. It was so lively that you wouldn't have realized that it was a funeral." Sadayo's tone itself was much more lively, much to Akira's confusion and wonder.

"Everyone kept telling stories about how he caught them as they tried getting into trouble and spent the whole period lecturing them, or how he was always willing to hear them out and talk them through their problems or misunderstandings." Sadayo continued, giggling. "Apparently there was this one time, when one of his student started disagreeing with him in front of the class. The whole period turned into a huge debate between the two and the whole class was really into it. But once the period was over he patted the student on the shoulder and told him that he was quite impressed by how well he was able to hold his own, and that he had a great future in public speaking. The guy started choking up a bit by the end of his story. And then there was this woman who was so grateful to him for helping her deal with some family problems that she was dealing with at the time and how she wouldn't be around if not for him being there for her."

Akira smiled as he saw his teacher talk so happily about a funeral party. "Honestly, that sounds more like a school reunion."

"Yeah..." Sadayo smile continue to show itself as she looked back at those days, before, during, and after her father's passing. Even though she had lost her father then, she had felt like he was close by when she heard all the guests talk about him. "I had always admired my father, but he never went into specifics with his students, so I never knew how things were between them. So when I saw just how many people he had helped grow to who they were now, and how much he meant to all of them. I felt like I finally understood why he always looked so fulfilled with his job. So as I said my goodbyes to him, I made promised that I would do my best for my students, like he did his.."

Sadly, while it looked that she had gotten into a better mood, Sadayo's expression quickly turned melancholic as she lowered her head. "But look at me now… Here I am in a hospital, and I'm sure none of my students would be sad if I passed away soon. Why would they? When I did everything I could to distance myself from them. I might as well be a stranger to them. Though then a stranger wouldn't had failed them like I did. I mean when I woke up, the first thing that came to my mind was that I still don't have enough money to make my payment." She shook her head in shame. "I haven't been able to face my mother since Takase-kun's passing… If dad was still alive he'd probably die of shame."

"Kawakami…" Akira frowned, dismayed at her sadness, "that's not true. I mean, listen to what you're saying. If you truly didn't think of anything else but the money, you wouldn't be so filled with regret."

Sadayo bit her lip, ashamed for having to be comforted by the student that came to visit her. ' _Why did I tell him all of that. What purpose did it serve? What good would it do to tell one of my students that? All it did is remind me about how much of a failure I am. Even with that promise I still ended up, abandoning Takase-kun to save myself. When things became complicated, I left him behind, just like they said.'_ Sadayo eyes once again turned towards her guest as he continue to watch over her. His gaze looked so gentle and concerned, and it honestly pained her to see him worry about her so much. ' _Maybe I just wanted him to learn more about me? Maybe I wanted to see if he would finally be disillusioned by me. And yet here he is, still sitting by my side, worrying about someone like me...' "_ Kurusu-kun… I—"

Before Sadayo could speak up, the sliding door opened again as a couple walked in. The man seem irate, crossing his arms in disapproval, while the woman seem much more calm, but her smile was unpleasant as she leisurely tilted her head to the side.

Akira watched Sadayo grow pale, as if the couple's very presence leeched the life out of her.

"Tch, there you are!" the ugly man said. Akira didn't like him at all.

"Takase-san?!" Sadayo's eyes were wide open as the couple stood by the other side of her bed, barring the door.

"What's going on, Ms. Kawakami!?" The man yelled, slamming his hand against the table by the foot of Sadayo's bed, causing her to flinch. "I called the school but no one answered."

"You contacted the school…!?" Sadayo was mortified of hearing this. She having tried so hard to prevent anything from her previous school from reaching Shujin for fear of getting kicked out again. "You—you didn't have to do that!"

"Well what were we supposed to do then, hmmm?" The woman responded, at odds with her husband's harsh tone but equally slimy. Akira didn't like her either. "We so patiently waited for our **apology** , but we never received it."

"Not to mention you weren't answering your phone, so of course we called your school. I'm sure they would had been more than willing to help me out if I explained things to them!" The man seemed to take a particular glee in his assertion as he leaned forward while putting his heavy weight on the table.

Sadayo couldn't deny anything and sat quietly, her head lowered in shame as she hung on every word they said. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to make things difficult."

"You're telling me! When I thought that you had finally answered the phone, we get a nurse telling us that you were here. Don't you know how much of an inconvenience it is for us when you miss your payment? We even had to come all the way here."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Now, now dear, let's be fair. It's not like she wanted to collapse..." The woman waved her hand at her husband as he backed off, only to turn to Sadayo with a twisted smile. "But our credit card payment is coming up soon, so we'll need you to transfer the money as soon as you can."

"I'm sorry..." Sadayo could only respond once more, her voice becoming much more distraught with each apology. She grabbed hold of her right arm tightly.

"Who are they?"

Akira's voice suddenly rang in Sadayo's ear. It wasn't the usual playful response, or his caring tone; instead it sounded annoyed, with a hint of venom similar to the tone had when he complained to her about how the school's treatment of him. She turned towards him, and noticed that he seemed to be glaring at the Takases. His arms were politely resting on his lap, but his hands were clenched tightly and seemed to be shaking a bit.

"The—these are Takase-kun's guardians, the ones I mentioned to you a while back. They're the ones that took care of him..." Sadayo tried to put up a smile for Akira, but unable to sell it as Akira turned towards the Takases again."

"Took care of him huh…?"

"And just who is this kid?" The man growled at Sadayo, clearly unamused by Akira's defiant look.

"He's just one of my students, He came here to visit me and—"

"What, you messing around with another student then?" The man mocked Sadayo as he laughed. "You never learn, do you?" His look of disgust now pointed a her as he clicked his tongue. "And after all you did to him..."

Sadayo flinched at his comments and drew back, as if a servant had been reprimanded by her master for speaking up. "I'm sorry..." She responded with shame, being the only response she was permitted to give.

"Well I think you've made us wait long enough, don't you agree? So? When are you going to transfer the money?" The woman demanded.

"I-I should be able to send it out tomorrow… So please, just give me a little more time and—"

The plastic chair beside Sadayo's side screeched, cutting through her excuses.

Akira stood tall and rebellious, putting his shaking hands coolly in his pockets. His voice echoed in the room, like a summons to war:

"Don't pay them."

Sadayo stared in shock. How much more can he continue to surprise her?

"Wha—what did you say?!" The man demanded.

"I said," Akira said slowly, like he was speaking to an unruly child, "That she doesn't need to pay a damn yen to the likes of you."

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo could feel her heart skip a beat which could be heard by the off beeping from her monitor, as she witnessed Akira standing up to the Takases for her. So much so that she almost didn't notice the drastic change in behavior. She quickly thought back to when she had confronted him about the Iwais. His tone of voice and expression right now were similar to that night, but at a whole other level. Unlike when he had confronted her about it, his voice sounded much more vicious, angered, yet still in control, causing the man on the other side to step back nervously with one strong glare.

"Y-you stay out of this!" The woman stumbled, as she started to nervously sweat at the young man's presence.

"Do-don't act so tough, kid!" The man retorted, trying to sound intimidated, but failing as his legs betrayed him when he took a step back. "Our precious adoptive son, Taiki, died because of this woman." The man's eyes turn to Sadayo with anger, causing her to look away, making no effort to hide his amusement in her compliance. "Honestly, she should've been fired."

"That's not… I just wanted to..." Sadayo's tried to protest the man's claims, but her voice was weak, unable to fight back against the accusations made of her.

Still, this angered the man that she even tried. "What's that?!" He turned and walked towards Sadayo, his face full of anger and condemnation as he reached out to her in anger. "All these years and you still don't know your place?"

Sadayo cowed at the mans words, closing his eyes while expecting to be reprimanded but it never came. She slowly open her eyes, looking to see Akira by her side as he tightly grabbed hold of the man's wrist with his left hand. "A..kira?" She didn't realized as his name escaped her lips, her voice was still shaken from what had just transpired, but she was truly grateful to him being here for her at this moment.

"If you even think of harming a hair on her, I'll make sure that you regret that decision." Akira darkly warned as he tightened his grip. A devilish grin then bloomed on his face, sending chills down the spine of everyone in the room. "Didn't you say that I should stop acting tough just a while ago? So how about it, he leaned towards the sweating man, teeth flashing in promised pain, want to see how much of an act it really is?"

Then he abruptly let go. The man quickly backed off, holding his tongue at him as he massaged his sore wrist. The man tried to glare at Akira before faltering.

Unfortunately, Sadayo was an easier target.

"S-so you no longer feel regret!?" The male Takase glared, seemingly gaining some power at her lack of reply. "Is that it? In that case, perhaps we should sue the Board of Education! Or should we have a chat with your school? Send in a complaint about t-this delinquent student of yours."

Akira's grin merely widened. Both Takases inched away.

But the words were enough to make Sadayo's head snap back to reality. ' _No! They can't! If they complain to the school about him...!'_

"Either way your days as a teacher would be over, don't you agree?" The bile from the man's words could almost be felt as he stared down at Sadayo.

"What did I tell you about—"

"Kurusu-kun, please stop!" Sadayo shouted, causing Akira to look back at Sadayo in disbelief.

"Kawakami..?"

"…I understand. I will pay you...So please...!" Sadayo desperately pleaded, her hand clenched the blanket and her body shook, but she was still doing her best to make her statement clear to the couple.

Maybe it worked or maybe it because Akira took a threatening step towards them, but the female Takase spoke up.

"N-no need to act like that with us, I'm sure this was all a misunderstanding. It's not like we're trying to extort you after all." The woman's words should normally sound understanding, but the her eyes and her smile, betrayed her malice. "But who was it that convinced Taiki to start studying when he needed to be working. The schoolwork on top of his part-time jobs overwhelmed him, which led him to that accident…" She shook her head, almost-dramatically bemoaning, "Poor Taiki… it's almost like he was murdered!" She took a quick glance to the punk beside the bed to see how he took the statement.

Akira's glare burned the woman, causing her smile to break as she became spooked by him. "Like hell she—" Akira tried to take another step forward, nearly driving the couple out to the door, but was halted as Sadayo placed her hand in front of him.

She was still feeling the effects of the woman's accusation, but was doing her best to keep herself from falling apart in front of Akira as she shook her head. "Kurusu-kun it's fine." Sadayo proceeded to face the couple and bowed in submission, as much as her position allowed her. "I understand… It's... my responsibility after all."

"Glad to hear that you still understand you position. We're gonna need you to show some remorse for what you did to him..." The man maliciously grinned even as he cradled his sore wrist. "… In a material and undeniable way. We're looking forward to receiving your payment."

With that the two immediately left through the open door, leaving a broken Sadayo and a defeated Akira.

"What am I going to do..? I have to figure out a way to make more money…" Sadayo hugged herself pitifully. As much as she hated having to admit, as much as she was dreading this decision, there was only one thing she could do that could earn her more money on time. "I guess transferring to our sister company is the only way..."

"Sister company? What do you mean?" Akira asked, doing his best to subdue the lingering frustration as he closed the door and returned to his seat.

"…It's a company affiliated with Victoria. I can make a lot more money there."

Akira looked at Sadayo with a raised brow. "So you knew of a place that paid more already, but you haven't applied to it yet? There has to be a catch."

Sadayo hesitated in telling him, especially after he had asked about the things she had done previously as a maid. She recoiled in disgust at the thought of doing that kind of work… but it was the only way for her to make enough money by this point. "You remember what you thought I was implying when I had told you about our 'special services'. Well, they're the kind of company that provides those kinds of services."

Akira suddenly felt his heart sink.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!?"

His yelling made Sadayo flinch, causing him to restrain himself before continuing. "Are you really planning to—" Akira hesitated for a second, gritting his teeth in frustration as he tried to force the words out "—sell, _**sell**_ your body, just to pay those two?! It's not right! So please Sadayo, _**please**_ , think this through more."

Sadayo gave a disheartened chuckle at Akira's request. "I can't believe I'm getting scolded by my student, but it's the only way that I can make enough money to pay them..."

"Then don't pay them! We could ask the Phantoms for help?" Akira could feel time was running out for Sadayo, causing him to panic. He was no longer thinking straight and he failed to notice the look of discomfort in Sadayo's face at the mention of The Phantom Thieves and how it grew worse as he continued talking. All he was thinking at this moment was getting their names now before it was too late. Once that was done, everything could be solved. "I just need their names, if I can get that then I'm sure we could—"

"WOULD YOU GIVE IT A REST ALREADY!" Sadayo yelled, still curled up and shaken.

Akira was left stunned at the volume from which Sadayo refused his offer. "But why? If we don't do anything about this then you're going to..."

Sadayo raised her head at Akira, her chest hurting as she saw the expression on his face. Her emotions where in turmoil right now, but not just because of the Takases appearance. She felt a rush at the sight of Akira defending her. It made her feel special, wanted, like one of the heroines in the stories she enjoyed so much. But the reality of it all still remained. He had almost lost his entire future, because of her. Because of her someone else that she cared about was going to lose everything again, and that realization was too painful to bare.

"Why…? Why are you so interested in helping me…? I'm not worth it… How many times do I have to tell you till you realize it!?" Sadayo drew her knees close to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them, taking care not to aggravate her I.V. "I abandoned my student and caused his death, I ignored my responsibility as a teacher and broke my promise to my father. I purposely stayed blissfully unaware as the ones I was supposed to help guide and protect suffered in the hands of that bastard! I kept myself blissfully ignorant as he-"

Sadayo covered her mouth with her hand. A sickening feeling began to build at the pit of her stomach as she remembered to what had happened to Shiho. "Suzui-chan… she ended up trying to kill herself, because I failed to notice that she was crying for help." Sadayo's grip tightened. She remembered that dreaded day, frozen in fear as she witnessed the loss of another student's future: a scared, hopeless girl standing at the edge of the rooftop.

"I treated you so harshly and with such disdain because of things I knew nothing about," Sadayo continued miserably. "When you found out about my maid job, I blackmailed you simply because I thought the worst of you, that you would do the same to me. Despite all of that you still offered to help me with requests, and I returned that kindness by lying to you and trying to use you to make my payments." She was teary-eyed by the end of it, doing her best to keep her composure as she buried her face against the blanket while sniffling.

"Don't you see? Why would the Phantom Thieves ever help someone like me...when I'm the kind of person that they would target?"

For a third time today, Akira felt like a ton of bricks had fallen of top of him. "Tha—that's not true!"

Sadayo huffed as she turned slightly to face Akira. "How can you be so sure..? You've heard everyone at school right? They'd all probably cheer if I got my heart stolen, though maybe they're right… maybe my heart does deserve to be taken."

"Sadayo, I..." Never did Akira want so much to reveal to her the truth, to ease her mind. But he couldn't get himself to tell her the truth as he bit his tongue only to be interrupted by Sadayo giggling from her blanket. "Sadayo...?"

Sadayo raised her head, a huge closed eye grin plastered on her face as she spoke in a tone similar to when she acted as Becky. "You know what? I'm gonna stop worrying about it!" She leaned teasingly, like she was a cute maid trying to please her Master instead of a woman out of options. "The money? I'll pay, I'll do everything Master tells me to do—" But before she could finish, Sadayo found herself being swept into Akira's embrace. Her head was tucked against his chest by a gentle hand. His heartbeat thundered against her ears.

"Don't lie to me..." Akira sounded torn up, as if lost and unsure about what to do, holding her close as if afraid of losing her. "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't need to pretend who you are when you're with me? That we're in this together? So please, just be honest with me..."

"...Meow." Sadayo's voice broke down, along with her barrier. She shouldn't be feeling comfort in the arms of her student, this was wrong, but she couldn't help but cling to her troublemaker. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks as her sobs crawled from her throat. Her hands trembled as they held the flap of his jacket close, hearing his heart beating in unison to the device monitoring hers. Despite how scared she was, despite how hopeless everything felt, she couldn't help but feel safe in his embrace, and thus letting everything out.

Akira knew that he was acting selfishly. Sadayo had already suffered enough without him making things complicated after all. But after having her open up to him about her father and her reasons for wanting to be a teacher, after seeing first hand what kind of treatment she had been forced to endure for so many years, after failing to help her in her time of need…

And most of all, after failing to notice how afraid she must have been while he so selfishly tried to solve things his way without considering how she must have been feeling this whole time. The only thing he could do is to let her know that she wasn't alone, that there was someone that cared about her and saw her worth and allow her a place to cry. If she was to chastise him afterwards, then he was willing to take those licks.

' _You're such an idiot, you know that? Why can't you see how amazing you are, how caring and hardworking you are. Why do you have to destroy yourself just to appease those bastards.'_ Akira could feel Sadayo's hand clinging to his arm. Nowhere was the strength that Morgana would complain at times. Instead they felt so weak and tired, as a wet puddle begin to swell against his clothes.

"...I'm so tired." Sadayo finally spoke truthfully, choking and sniffing as she continued to clutch Akira close. "All I really want is… a way to apologize to Takase-kun. To tell him how sorry I am for being a coward and abandoning him, but no matter how much I wish it, he's never coming back. So if his guardians demand money then I just have to pay them..."

"Isn't there something else you can do? This can't just be the only way."

"But what else can I do…? Sadayo pressed her face deeper against his chest. I just don't know anymore!"

All Akira could do was hold her, He wanted to give her an answer, but at this moment he felt as if nothing he could say would be able to reach her.

"Sorry, I'm not quite fully recovered yet… so my thoughts are all over the place..." Sadayo's hands gripped Akira as hard as they could despite the discomfort that she was feeling from the I.V., not wanting to let go.

"It's fine, just rest for now. We can figure something out later..." By this point Akira had collected himself, his voice sounding much more calm and comforting.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry... I'm so sorry…." For a while all Sadayo could do was apologize. Apologize to Takase-kun, apologize to all the students that she had failed, and apologize to the person that continued to hold her close as he comforted and reassured her while she lets out all her regrets.

Eventually things quieted down. Akira eventually pulled himself away from Sadayo, noticing a bit of resistance from Sadayo's part. "I- I should go now, give you some time to rest. Just promise me that you'll think this through a bit more after you recover."

Sadayo nodded, wiping her eyes and nose with her sleeves, her face fully red for a number of reasons. "Sorry for the mess I made on your arm." she said, with and embarrassed smile.

Akira glanced at his arm and shrugged. "It's fine, I can wash it off later. Will you be okay…?"

"I should be fine, I'm sure I'll be release first thing tomorrow, The I.V. drip here works really well after all."

' _Why does the way that you say that makes me worry that this isn't the first time that this has happened.'_ Akira thought to himself as he stepped back as he took his bag. He turned to the door. "Okay, guess I'll be heading out now-" he cut himself off when he felt a small tug from the end of his shirt. As he turned around he saw Sadayo leaning forward to grab hold of him

"Before you go… I-I wanted to let you know that I appreciate you coming to visit me today." Sadayo's face was a mess. Her eyes were red and a bit swollen from the crying, her nose a bit runny still and her hair was even more of an unruly mess, but despite all that, Akira could only describe the smile that she gave him as she looked towards him with a look of endearment as...

' _Beautiful…'_ Akira smiled back at Sadayo as he gave her a nod. "Sure thing. Just remember that I'm here for you." ' _No matter what happens, I'll do everything In my power to protect you… I promise.'_ "Good night... Kawakami"

"Goodnight... Kurusu-kun" Sadayo replied, her face still quite red from her emotional turmoil, but Akira could guess that there was also an embarrassed blush coming through.

Akira proceeded to walk out of the room and close the door behind him as he walked down the hospital halls. It was late, and most of the remaining people where either in hospital rooms, in the emergency sections or the staff, which meant most of the hospital was empty. Soon enough, he found himself alone in an empty hallway.

He punched the nearest wall in frustration. "Dammit!"

"Please refrain from hitting your hand against the wall. I've no intention of treating it if you break it because of such a dumb reason."

Akira turned see as Dr. Tae Takemi walked by the corner, letting out a frustrated groan as he ran his hand over his face before taking a deep breath before putting up a cocky smile. "Something must be really be wrong with me if I keep letting people sneak up on me..."

"If that's true I could always give you another examination. I'm sure there are still a few things I could use some help in return, my little guinea pig." Tae offered, with a smile that only meant trouble.

"Thanks, but I'll pass on that…" Akira shook the pain from his hand while shifting his bag to to other arms to hide the mess that had been left behind. "What are you doing here? Checking up on Miwa-chan?"

"I was originally yes, but turns out they were low on staff, so they asked if I could stay and help out. Things have been quite busy for me since a certain **someone** helped clear my name." Tae teased with a smug expression towards Akira.

"Happy to be of service." Akira responded, hints of tiredness and sarcasm seeping in despite his charming facade.

"Hmm, maybe you do have a bug." Tae responded with a raised brow.

"Sorry, just came to realize something recently and I'm still trying to process things."

"That so…? Well it's not my problem, so I'll just leave you to it and take my leave." Tae was about to leave before she was halted by Akira.

"Wait!"

Tae turned, with a smile showing that she was expecting him to stop her. "Is there something that you want from me?"

Akira hesitated, causing his actual feelings to be present as he looked away and tried to figure out how to explain things to her. "You said you were helping out the staff here right? If possible… can I ask you for a favor?"

"A favor?" Tae was all ears, her curiosity peaked.

"There is a patient in room 41. She's there because she collapsed and is recovering right now. I… I want to make sure that she's taken care of, and I trust your abilities. I mean I trust you with my own body after all." Akira let out a tired chuckle as he scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed. "So, if it's alright with you, is there any way you can be put in charge of her?"

Tae raised her brow at Akira with a look of disbelief. "So let me get this straight. You want me to go to the other doctors and ask them to hand me one of their patients out of the blue?"

"R-right, sorry. I was probably asking too much there." Akira sighed, disheartened.

"I never said that I wouldn't do it." Tae teasingly interrupted. "I just wanted to be clear how difficult this would be for me. Tae gave Akira a look, as if a predator was staring down it's prey, causing a chill down his spine. "I expect you to work well for my assistance, my little guinea pig."

"Takemi… thank you." Akira smiled. It was a bit forced, but he did his best to let his gratitude be known to the doctor, even going so far as to give a bow.

"Umm, sure..." Tae looked quite shocked at the expression she was seeing from Akira. It was a first for her. "Anyway, you should probably head back home, it's quite late after all.

"Actually, if possible I would like to stay overnight if that's okay. I can stay in the waiting room and—"

Akira was quickly tapped on the head with a clipboard with an annoyed Tae in front of him. "Oh no you don't. Does Boss even know that you're here? Don't think he would be very pleased to hear you stayed over night in a hospital. You might make him think that you were the one that was admitted." Tae took a step back, surprised at the guilty expression on Akira's face But she was busy and needed to leave the questions for later. She sighed. "I told you that I'd go on a limb for you and I intend to honor that. So, leave things here to me."

She proceeded to playfully shoo him off with her free hand. "Now go and get some rest. Your health is my responsibility after all, I won't have you complaining to me later about something being wrong if you don't heed your doctor's advice after all."

Akira did his best to let out a small chuckle. "Thanks doc… I'll leave things to you then." And with that he turned around and took his leave, waving her goodbye as walked away. "See you around, Takemi.

Not being able to do anything else here, Akira had to accept his limitation and head back home with his head down. It was a quiet trip home as he paid no mind to the discussions going on on the train concerning a certain group, or the praise of the Phantoms Thieves from random strangers. Instead, what Sadayo had said kept repeating in his head over and over, pausing only when he tried to enter Leblanc, only to find it locked. He unlocked the door and closed it behind him without giving it much thought.

"About time you got back!" Morgana yelled as he came down the stairs and leaped at the counter after hearing the door chime. "Why did you leave me behind like that?! You went off running without thinking and without locking up the shop leaving me to take care of that stuff. You know how hard it is to lock something instead of unlocking it with these paws?!'

"Yeah, thanks." Akira responded without even turning to look at Morgana. Still lost in his thoughts, he listlessly continued upstairs.

Morgana stood there a bit confused by his response, before giving chase. "Hey don't ignore me!" As he climbed up, he saw Akira sitting on the couch, face buried in his hands. Morgana started to worry about what had gone while he wasn't around. "Hey, what the hell happened there? I heard something about a hospital, but I never heard the details."

Akira did not respond, choosing instead to just sit there in silence for some time before letting out a pathetic chuckle.

"Joker…?"

"I really screwed up Mona… I was there, but I couldn't do anything for her."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"When I called her on the phone a while back? A nurse from a hospital was the one to pick up instead. Turned out she had collapsed in the street on her way home, and when I heard that, I just couldn't think straight anymore. I'd never been so afraid since the first time me and Ryuji ended up in Kamoshida's Palace and were about to die. I wanted to see her as soon as I could."

Akira lifted his head, turning toward his his feline audience with a sad, defeated smile. You know what happened when I arrived? She just started laughing at how worried and rushed I was, as if everything was fine. I stupidly thought that the worst had passed and I could just talk to her, try to convince her to ask us for help..." Akira smile slowly contorted as it s became a sneer, gritting his teeth as he contained his anger as best he could. "But then **they** showed up… Finally got a good look of those relatives that she had mentioned. They just came in, they didn't care that she had just passed out because of the work she is being forced to do because of them. All they cared about was getting their money from her and had no hesitation in breaking her spirit to do so."

Akira's hand was closed into a fist, as he punched down on the couch in anger as he remembered the way they had treated Sadayo. "From what Kawakami had told me I had a feeling they weren't good people. They forced their adopted kid to make money 'cause they couldn't be bothered to take care of him, not to mention the constant increasing of apology money, but… I didn't think they would be this cruel to her. They even accused her of murdering him. I just couldn't just sit there and do nothing as they continuously tore her down. I threatened them, I raised my hand at them, and then in a state of panic I straight up asked her for their names."

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Morgana chastise him at hearing his carelessness. "Why would you go do something like—"

"YOU WEREN'T THERE!" Akira snapped back at him in anger. He hit his own leg to let out his frustration, not wanting to burn Morgana with his wrath. He took a deep breath. "You didn't have to see as they emotionally tormented her and toyed with her guilt and regret. That wasn't something that they did just out of frustration. She has been dealing with those assholes for years now…"

Akira ran his hand through his hair, his chuckle sounding hollow. "But you know what's the worst about the whole thing? She's terrified of **us**."

"What…?" Morgana asked, mouth gaping in shock at this revelation.

Akira's shaky hands covered his eyes, paying no mind that they skewed his glasses as he gritted his teeth once more. "She's afraid that we would target her because of how much those bastards ingrained it into her that she's nothing but a terrible person. That we wouldn't give a damn about her and would go after her instead… How the hell am I supposed to explain that…?" Akira bit his lip hard, tasting blood. He lifted his hand from his face, and found it trailing with tears. "I got too cocky. I thought myself able to solve any problem by just going to the Metaverse and changing their hearts. I am such an idiot for not noticing how much it bothered her. Instead, I constantly jammed my solution to her.

Akira wiped his wet hand off his sleeve, the same sleeve Sadayo had cried on. I always thought that we were just giving courage to those that needed it. I never even considered that I was hurting her… hurting the person… that I have feelings for."

"Akira..." Morgana could only say, speechless to find out what had transpired. But most of all, stunned at hearing him admit his feelings for Sadayo.

Akira took his glasses off, as they were starting to hurt and massaged the bridge of his nose. He noticed the tear droplets on it and wiped them off. "What's wrong Mona?" Akira asked Morgana with a rough smile. "Aren't you going to say that I'm an idiot for having a crush on my teacher?"

Morgana shook his head, putting his paw on his arm. "No, you still are an idiot, but I've seen how you are around her… I know that it's more than a crush."

Akira chuckled a bit at his cat's deduction. He always joked about it, but to hear him say that he knew about his feelings for her was kind of embarrassing, but comforting to hear him being so okay with it. "Thanks, though that doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that we save her."

"We need those relative's names right?" Morgana continued, as he tried to think up of an answer. "I mean asking her is probably out of the question now, but if we take down those relatives then—"

"It won't matter." Akira shook his head. "She's been told time and time again for years by those two about how horrible a person she is. All she did when they continued to berate and accuse her was apologize, and with how far she is willing to sacrifice herself to appease those assholes, she truly does believe what they're saying to be true. Even if we take them down, I'm scared about what she might do if she doesn't have that outlet… if she is left alone without some method of showing her regret." Akira leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees as he intertwined his fingers. "I- I think Kawakami might actually need a change of heart."

"Morgana's eyes were wide open at what his leader was suggesting. "You mean that… you want to make Ms. Kawakami a target?"

"No… or at least I hope it doesn't have to come to that." His hands shook once more as they tightened their grip. "I… I want to try talking to her one more time, I want to get her to see that this isn't the only way. That she doesn't need to sacrifice herself for them and that there is a better way to make amends."

Akira closed his eyes, the image of Sadayo as she laughed at his arrival, how proud she looked when she talked about her father… how all of that was shattered and stomped on when those two came. The image of her crying in his arms was vividly ingrained in his mind. It was a sight that he promised himself to make sure that never happened again, and with a deep breath he opened his eyes once more, this time full of resolve.

"No matter what, I will save her."

* * *

 **Yeah... There was no way this chapter wasn't going to be a happy one.**

 **I considered myself a passive individual, but never was I as livid and angered by a video game, as I was when those two showed up in the hospital. I had played the game with choosing the most calm, supportive and at times snarky answer. But for them I didn't hesitate to pick the most aggressive answer I was given. Never had I felt the desire to have the character slug someone in the face as I did when I heard these two talk. They were my 100% Paragon ruining Reporter punching scene. And it was at that moment that I had realized how attached and invested I had become in the happiness of this depressed, yet caring teacher. So needless to say this scene was a very special one for me.**

 **Fun Fact: Tae's appearance in the hospital was the very first thing that I thought of adding when I started thinking about writing this story, which then fueled other ideas like Sadayo's encounter with her in the laundromat, as well as other stuff in the near future.**

 **A big thanks goes to SombodyLost, for all your help you did. And we will be continuing next chapter to Sadayo's side, and her encounter with a third unexpected guest.**


	13. Chapter 12

**I've not you've been waiting for the next chapter. This one ended up taking much longer than all the previous one so I hope it makes up for the long wait.**

 **This character don't belong to me, but to atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

It had been some time now since Sadayo was left alone. The doctor had been called out from her room, which left her lost and confused. Even after Akira left, it took quite a while for any of the nurses to come check on her. Not that she minded; it allowed her time to compose and pat down the tears.

Eventually, one of the nurses did come and apologized for taking so long before she examined her vitals and asked a few questions. Then, when it finally looked like one of the doctors had finally come to see her, he had been called back by one of the nurses. She wasn't sure what the nurse had been telling him, but his reaction caught her attention, especially considering what little she overheard of the conversation...

"What?! The Plague wants to be put in charge of her?!"

"The Plague…?" Sadayo quietly repeated in dread. Hearing such an ominous name was worrisome enough to begin with, but the fact that said person seem interested in seeing her made Sadayo start fearing the worst.

' _Am I worse off than I thought? Did I catch some sort of disease? Why would someone with that sort of name be interested in looking at me?'_

Every minute on her own was an eternity where she let her imagination run wild as she feared that she was going to be quarantined from the rest of the hospital. Maybe her fainting wasn't from overwork, but some kind of terminal illness? Maybe...

With a tired sigh, Sadayo let herself fall down to her hospital bed, her hand covering her eyes from the ceiling light. "I really need to get some sleep, my mind is way too out of it if I'm thinking of crazy scenarios like that..."

Sadayo tensed up when the sliding door in her room suddenly opened. Figuring that the one entering would be the one the doctor called "The Plague", she swallowed the lump that got stuck in her throat and sat up, letting her hand fall from her face. Apprehensive, Sadayo watched as the doctor, a woman, lowered her chart in front of her—.

"YOU?!"

"Huh?" the doctor blinked, looking a bit puzzled at the sudden outburst from her newest patient, taking her time to get a look at her. "Have we… met before?"

"NOPE! NOT AT ALL — I mean—" Sadayo caught herself, having defaulted to her Becky voice without realizing it. She cleared her throat after a cough from the sudden strain of her throat. "I—I just heard someone being referred to as "The Plague", s—so I was a bit surprised that's all." Sadayo nervously laughed, trying to pass her outburst as no big deal. From the woman's get-up, she can see why the woman can be called "The Plague".

' _Why did it have to be her of all people. And she's a doctor?! What does she want with me?_ ' Sadayo did her best to hide her shock, while trying to keep herself from defaulting to Becky again. Sadly, her concern only grew as she noticed her new doctor let out a devilish smirk that caused her to tense up nervously. ' _Wait, does she recognize me?!'_

"I see..." the Plague remarked with a slight chuckle. "My mistake then. Must be thinking of someone else then."

"Um yeah... I'm sure that's all that it is..." Sadayo smiled awkwardly, unable to tell if the woman in front of her was being honest or not.

"I'm Doctor Tae Takemi, and I'll be in charge of your treatment."

"I'm... Sadayo Kawakami. I'll be in your care." Sadayo giving as courteous a bow as she could manage.

Dr. Takemi proceeded to examine Sadayo, she checked her blood pressure, heart rate and looking for any signs on her body. The doctor seemed quite focused on her work, showing surprising bit of concern as she listened to Sadayo and proceeded to draw blood, as well as some other procedures for testing. Sadayo herself wasn't particularly fond of getting her blood drawn, but did so with little complaint. Once those tests were over, the other woman went off to get some more information, and eventually she came back with the results. She was clearly not pleased with what she found, looking not as concerned as she was when examining Sadayo.

"While we we still haven't pinpointed the exact cause of your collapse, we've definitely found some worrying signs." Dr. Takemi proceeded to study the notes, "It is more than likely that you're suffering from some case of malnourishment. Your resting blood pressure is abnormally high, and your coughing can be attributed to your immune system suffering from the lack of nutrients." She pinned a probing eye back at Sadayo, "Tell me, have you been able to get some decent sleep?"

"I've… I haven't." Sadayo stated, looking slightly guilty. She started to rub the bandages on her right arm.

"Does your family suffer any kind of heart problems?" Dr. Takemi asked, looking fairly annoyed.

"Yes, my father… he died from a heart attack..."

"That's not good," Dr. Takemi scolded sternly. "Lack of sleep can cause heart problems, and those are already likely to be inherited, you know?" Dr. Takemi sighed as she shook her head, "While luckily we haven't seen any signs of such a problem in our test, if you don't make changes, it could get a lot worse for you."

"I'm sorry…" Sadayo apologized, as if a child was being scolded by her parents. "I've… just been so busy that I haven't been able to get some sleep."

"Is it related to your job? Stress can also make things worse." Dr. Takemi flipped her clipboard for info, "Says here that you're a — Teacher at Shujin Academy…?" Dr. Takemi read out the notes, obviously surprised.

"Yes… Is something the matter?" Sadayo asked, confused.

Dr. Takemi just shook her head, "It's nothing. I'm just finding it quite surprising that you'd be overworked to this degree from a teacher's job alone. Though I can see why you'd be so stressed out, considering the constant talk about what happened over there."

"Don't remind me," Sadayo was quick to comment through gritted teeth.

"Still, even with that in mind, I can't imagine your job causing this level of exhaustion." Dr. Takemi studied her notes again, trying but failing to find an explanation. She turned a suspicious gaze at Sadayo. "Are you sure that you've told me everything?"

"Yes, that's everything." Sadayo responded, finding the vase full of flowers to be more interesting than Dr. Takemi.

She could feel Dr. Takemi's glare, obviously not convinced by her statement. "Are you sure…? You do know that there is very little we can do if you don't let us know about what is going on. We aren't miracle workers after all."

"Yes," was all Sadayo could respond with, gripping her blanket tightly.

' _I can't tell her about my other jobs.'_ Sadayo forced to remind herself. She was frustrated with herself, but also frightened about what could happen if caught. ' _What if they have to notify the school? All of us are already on thin ice thanks to the Kamoshida and the student scam incidents. If they find out that I've been ignoring my job as a teacher... If they find about my maid job…?'_ After so many years, Sadayo was now definitely feeling the pressure of having to juggle so many jobs, as well as having to keep them a secret.

"We already get a large number of people coming in at times because of being overworked," Dr. Takemi continued, audibly annoyed. "With so little information, there is not much one can do besides the most basic of procedures."

"I'm sorry..." Sadayo once again reverted to the only word she felt permitted to say.

Dr. Takemi just shook her head as she sighed. "Really though. I wonder if he knew that this would happen when he asked me to be put in charge of you."

"He?" Sadayo was quickly reminded of that brief discussion that she had picked up. "Now that you mentioned it, I heard that you personally asked to see me. Why was that?"

"That's because I was asked by a friend of mine. From what I see here, he's more than likely a student of yours."

"You know Kurusu-kun?! He's a friend of yours?" Sadayo was once again left shocked at the weird network of connections her student had managed to find himself with.

"You could say that," Dr. Takemi smiled, her eyes seeming to be looking beyond the halls. Her smile diminishing her threatening appearance, somewhat. "Though I was quite surprised. He's rarely one to ask for favors out of the blue, especially as honestly as he did back there."

' _Kurusu-kun asked her to take care of me? What is he thinking!?'_ She exhaled and rubbed her forehead, reassessing her doctor, who looked at her not with confusion, but curiosity. 'But… he put his trust in her, didn't he…? Maybe… maybe it's okay if I do the same.'

"Actually… I wasn't being completely truthful about things."

"I see," Dr. Takemi responded, only a raised brow as her sign of surprise. "I take it that you've decided to open up then?"

Sadayo nodded. "The thing is, I've been also working a number of different jobs. Because of that, I haven't had much time to sleep."

"Well that would certainly explain the amount of exhaustion that you have." Dr. Takemi commented as she wrote down notes. "What kind of jobs do you do?"

"A number of things: inventory, paper delivery, dog walking..." Sadayo hesitated to continue, hoping that those would be enough.

"Anything else?" Dr. Takemi asked expectantly.

"No, that's about it," Sadayo shook her head. Even with her putting some trust, there are just some things that she rather keep hidden.

"Very well," Dr. Takemi replied, causing Sadayo to sigh in relief. "Obviously my first suggestion would be to not work as much… but I'm going to take a guess that such a thing isn't an option."

Sadayo shook her head once more.

"Be that as it may, you should start by getting some better sleep and eating better." Dr. Takemi began writing once again, "For now I'm probably going to prescribe you a sleeping aid medication to help with falling asleep easier. Please note that this isn't a permanent solution, nor a reliable one. You need to find a way to work your schedule. We already have planned to have you stay the night, so we'll see how your test result looks after you've gotten some rest. Feel free to ask for some food also. It may not be the best, but it's better than nothing."

"Thank you," Sadayo gave a small bow of gratitude, thankful that she didn't pry too deeply into her matters.

"Also, I want you to come to my clinic for follow-up appointments. I would like to monitor your condition to make sure it doesn't get worse."

"What!?" Sadayo startled at the suggestion. She waved her hands in refusal, not wanting to drag another person into her problem. "Y-you don't have to worry about that. I-it's really not necessary. I'm sure I'll be fine after some rest—"

"Who's the doctor here?" Dr. Takemi refuted, her tone sounding much more stern which halted Sadayo's refusal. "I told Kurusu that I would make sure you get better, and I do intend to keep that. Besides, it's my responsibility as a doctor to make sure that you make a full recovery if I'm able to. That's why doctors and medicine exists after all."

"I… I guess you're right. Again, thank you." Sadayo felt powerless to argue against someone who was so dedicated to her profession, and quietly accepted defeat and Dr. Takemi's offer. She was handed a note with an address. "This is actually really close to Leblanc, isn't it?"

"So you've been there before? Don't think I've seen you around the area," The Plague gave a coy smile at Sadayo's unthinking comment.

Sadayo panicked, trying to find an excuse "W-well, I am his teacher after all, so I know about him staying at a coffee shop."

"Funny, I'm surprised to hear that you know that it's a coffee shop."

' _Shoot'_ "I-I guess there was that one time that I made a house visit. He's seen as a bit of troublemaker at school, so I've had to discuss things with him and Sakura-san." Sadayo smiled nervously, hoping that would be a good enough excuse.

"I do remember him mentioning having some difficulty at school, So I guess it's not surprising that his teacher would be asked to talk to Boss."

Sadayo gave an internal sigh ' _I guess there are some advantages to him having the kind of reputation that he does.'_ From the look of things, it seemed that the doctor made her own conclusions, similar to how Ms. Chouno had done so after Akira gave an explanation. Despite this though, Sadayo felt like there was something off. Maybe it was the tone Dr. Takemi had when she said that, or perhaps the way she looked at Sadayo with that smile of hers. Either way, she felt that prying more on that would only backfire on her and thus, let it go.

"I think I've gotten everything I need. For now, make sure to get some rest. We can continue discussing what to do later." Dr. Takemi began leaving, though just as she was going to open the door she turned back to Sadayo with a curious smirk.

"Still, I must say that it was quite surprising. You weren't willing to cooperate in the beginning, but as soon as I mention Kurusu you seemed to become a lot more open. What is your relation to him, aside from a teacher, if I may ask?"

Sadayo was caught off guard with such a sucker punch of a question. "It's nothing, he's just — you know..." Her thoughts jumbled as she was forced to think about Akira, and what he means to her, but as those thoughts went deeper, she shook them off. "I'm just his teacher… Nothing more."

Dr. Takemi just giggled at her response. "Just a teacher, you say? Then you must be some teacher for him to act like he did." She waved a hand as she slowly opened and closed the door. "Take care."

The door shut close, leaving Sadayo to wallow in her words, looking down shamefully. "I'm really not… I'm nothing of the sort. He's… just too kind."

Soon after, the nurses came by to bring her belongings. As soon as she was alone again, she checked her phone. Sure enough there were a number of calls. Many of them were from the Takases, but just as many had been from her mother, probably driving the nurses mad with her repeated calls to ask for her condition. Sure enough in her message app she had two messages, one was Akira's response, and the other was her mother's. She made Sadayo know full well that she intends to barge in the next time she arrives if she isn't let in. Saying that, as soon as she manages a flight back to Japan, she'd be coming over.

"What am I going to do now…." Sadayo pondered, tapping her phone against her forehead in frustration.

It felt like the walls were slowly coming in on her from all angles. Her countless jobs where officially pushing her to her limits, and even with all that, she wasn't able to keep up with the Takases' demands. If this kept up it would only be a matter of time before Shujin found out about this, and now her mother, who she had been trying so hard to avoid was coming, and this time she probably wasn't going to take no for an answer. Even when she was supposed to recover, she couldn't find rest as her world felt constricting and suffocating. All of this caused her to lose appetite and stopped her from asking the nurses for something to eat.

Time passed as she lay in the hospital bed. She felt a bit more comfortable now that all those monitoring devices had been removed, but in doing so, it removed the only source of noise, leaving her alone at night in a silent room. It was too quiet; she had been keeping herself busy for so long that she found herself feeling restless. The feelings of dread, guilt, uselessness, weakness, worthlessness. — it was all getting to her and she couldn't stand it anymore and she needed some fresh air. She stood up from her bed, grabbed hold of the wheeled stand that held her I.V. bag, and with cellphone in hand, decided to walk around the hospital.

The halls were empty for the most part. Lights dimmed down in certain areas, while completely off if by the windows. She could still hear some the voices of people talking and walking around, so she knew she wasn't alone, but despite this, the halls had a creepy and lonely vibe to them. As she walked these halls, she came to understand why there were so many ghost stories involving hospitals; she was glad that she tended to avoid those, lest her already active imagination started to play tricks on her.

After some time though, she began to tire once more. It was obvious she hadn't fully recovered, but she groaned nonetheless to how quickly her body was giving up on her already. As she turned to another hall, she found a lonely bench. Behind it, the window framed the moon, which spilled light to illuminate the dark hall.

Sadayo took a seat on the bench and gazed out the window. It was mostly clear, though many buildings blocked the view of most of the sky. But even with this the moon was fully noticeable, its present light gently shining down on Sadayo.

Her phone buzzed and broke her melancholy. Sadayo turned on her phone, and to her surprise, she noticed a message from Akira, letting her know that he made it back safely. "Usually I'm the one messaging him when I make it back."

For a week now, it had become a habit for Sadayo to let him know when she made it home safely, something he had asked about after he had noticed her coughing for the first time. He was usually quick to respond and they would chat for a bit; she'd bring up any minor complaints about her other jobs, he would make a joke or comment, show his concern, and then they'd say goodnight. If anything, the reason Sadayo brought her phone was because of that routine, even if tonight's call was not the usual one.

"Well... I guess I can be the one to start things off this time."

[S]: Master?

[S]: Are you still awake?

[A]: I'm still up.

[A]: What about you though? Shouldn't you be getting some rest?

It took him no time to respond back to her, causing Sadayo to let out a small giggle. "That was quick. I wonder if he was thinking the same thing?"

[S]: Everything is fine! Master shouldn't worry so much about poor old Becky.

[A]: Becky…

Sadayo could feel the concern in Akira's words, causing her conflicting emotions to surface once more.

[S]: Honestly, I'm fine.

Sadayo responded, letting down her act.

[S]: Just have some difficulty falling asleep.

[S]: A lot of stuff happened.

[A]: Yeah

[A]: I guess that's true

Sadayo was unresponsive for a while, as she reflected back on his visit. She was still at a daze about what exactly had happened back then. She had witnessed a side of him that she had only seen glimpses of.

The fangs of a person who wasn't afraid to fight.

The way he confronted the Takases had sent shivers down her spine, and she wasn't even his target, so she could imagine how it must have felt from the Takases' end. After seeing that, she could only imagine how crazy the rumors would get if anyone from the school saw that side of him. Yet despite all of that, she never felt like she was in danger. The fact that he backed down when she asked him to showed that he wasn't just someone that had lost their control.

"He was just trying to protect me, Wasn't he..."

She wanted to talk about what he had done and what she herself had done, and the feelings that those things had invoked on her. There was a build up of questions and uncertainties filling her mind. It was a lot to take in, and a part of her still hesitated to delve deeper, afraid of what she might find. But she wasn't in the right state of mind to think about that now — she needed to clear her mind of what is going on. So she decided to push the subject to the back of her mind.

[S]: I mean I wasn't expecting Master to to call a doctor just for poor old Becky.

[A]: Hehehe

[A]: I'm guessing you met up with Dr. Takemi then?

[S]: You really didn't have to do that you know?

[S]: I was perfectly fine.

[A]: I know.

[A]: I just wanted to make sure.

[A]: She can be quite scary at times, but I trust her to prioritize your health first.

[S]: For a highschooler, you seem to have a lot of surprising connections.

[S]: Next thing you're telling me is that you're drinking buddies with a reporter and a bartender.

[A]: Well I do know of a long-nosed man as a prison master, and his pair of warden twins

[A]: Other than that, there is this teacher that I help out from time to time

A smile showed on Sadayo's face, trying hard not to laugh at Akira's joke and disturb the other patients.

[S]: Do you now?

[S]:I'm sure she must be grateful for her caring stud-

Sadayo paused before she finished the message. The reality of things crashed down on her.

"That's right. Akira is my student… I shouldn't be acting like this around him. This is wrong, isn't it…?"

' _What is he to me… I mean obviously he's just my problem student, but then he's also my caring master. He's someone who stubbornly never leaves me alone, no matter how many times I tell him to. B_ _ut_ _he's also someone who accepted me and sought my company. He's someone I've grown_ _to_ _trust,. He gets so worried of others, but he pays so little attention to himself that I can't help but worry about him. I just can't get him out of my mind...'_

Sadayo phone suddenly went off, but it wasn't her usual chime from getting messages, but a call. It was the Takases, and as she realized this the cold and heavy feeling of loathing began to surface once more. She knew Akira was probably waiting on the other end, she knew that if she answered that it would only be more of the same. Despite knowing this though, she willfully picked up. It was her responsibility after all.

"Yes... Takase-san?" Sadayo asked

"Hello Miss Kawakami, nice to see you picked up the phone." Spoke the man on the line. "I'm sure that I don't have to remind you, but be sure that you transfer our apology, it would be really inconvenient for us if you didn't. You understand, don't you?"

"Yes... I'll be sure to do it when I can," Sadayo capitulated. Even though she had promised Akira that she wouldn't until she recovered, that they would talk about finding another way, she just couldn't prolong it any more than she already had. Time was a luxury that she had lost a long time ago. All she could do, is do the best she could with the time permitted to her. "I'll be sure to deposit the 500,000 yen when I can." ' _I'm sorry Kurusu-kun'_

"About that..." the woman's voice now coming from the other end, letting Sadayo know that she'd been put on speaker with the two. The tone from which those words were uttered caused Sadayo's body to tense up, bracing itself for what's to come. "We were quite shocked to see that you had been so foolish enough to try to get yourself involved with another student. I mean we thought that after all these years you'd learned from that terrible incident, but it seems that we were wrong. I hate to do this, but I think that we might have to increase the payment. By another 100,000 yen."

"What!?" Sadayo gasped in shock. "But I can't just get that much money in a day!"

"Of course not. I mean we aren't unreasonable." The voice from the phone spoke with an understanding tone. "We're willing to wait till Wednesday, It's not our usual day, but I think we can compromise a bit…?

"B-but still..." Sadayo still tried to argue, though her voice was no more than a whimper. "I just can't—"

"I'm sure you'll find a way," the voice now being from the man, sounding as confident and expectantly as always. "I mean wouldn't you do anything to continue teaching? I'm looking forward to seeing your dedication as a teacher."

And with that the phone hung up. Once again the walls felt ever-closing around Sadayo. Her time which was thought to be already short, was already gone. She was running out of options, all except one.

Her phone began to ping once more. This time it was Akira trying to reach her.

[A]: Becky?

[A]: Is everything okay?

[A]: you haven't responded in a while.

Sadayo couldn't bear to tell him what had just happened. She knew if he did that he'd start blaming himself, that he'd do something dumb and risky. Not bothering to think twice about how it will affect him. Because he is too caring, and too willing to throw himself to the wolves for others, no matter how much it's not worth doing. She wiped her teary eyes and responded to ease his mind.

[S]: Sorry!

[S]: Becky just got distracted.

[S]: The moon is so nice and full tonight.

[S]: So Becky just lost track of time.

[A]: You sure?

[A]: I just want to make sure that your okay.

Sadayo let out a defeated chuckle, at how obviously miserable she must be for him to start worrying from so far away.

[S]: I'm fine!

[S]: Master worries too much!

[A]: Sorry

[A]: I'll talk to you later okay?

[A]: Just focus on getting some rest for now.

[A]: Goodnight Becky

Sadayo bit her quivering lower lip. She didn't want their conversation to end, as she selfishly desired to steal more of his time. She wanted to talk to him some more, act like the past events hadn't happen and things weren't so complicated for her. She wanted to call him, or him her, for him to tell her that it will be fine, to hear him call her name….

After she left her final messages she placed her phone down, curling as she wrapped her arms around her legs. Gripping them tightly, shaking with fear and insecurity about what will happen to her. She wanted to see him… but she couldn't… she can't.

[S]: Goodnight

[S]: Master

* * *

"Hey, is everything okay, Akira? You've been kind of quiet this whole time."

Akira rose his head, his hand finishing his 20th paper crane. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were looking at him with looks of confusion, except for Yusuke who simply continued his work. Ann, the one that had called out to him, looked more concerned than the others.

"Sorry, guess I got caught up with what I was doing and zoned out," Akira responded with an awkward smile, all the while scratching the back of his head.

To Akira's surprise, the group, mainly because of Ryuji, had decided to do a last minute study session at Leblanc. After getting Makoto caught up on why he lived in a coffee shop, they spent a good while of their time studying. But with everything on Akira mind at the moment, he was probably even less motivated than Ryuji to study and shortly after they started, proceeded to ignore it all together and started folding paper cranes. It didn't take long though before a break was needed, and they all proceeded to watch the T.V. as Akechi continue to talk about the dangers of the Phantom Thieves. While still annoyed at his accusation, the group seemed to take the criticisms much better than last time since from the look of things, public opinion was more on their side. Sadly for Akira, what he had learned recently made it very difficult for him to revel in their popularity along with the group, which caught the attention of Ann.

"Are you sure?" Makoto put her pencil down as she joined in the conversation. "I mean I know you've been doing well on your studies so I wasn't going to say anything about the cranes..." She shuffled in her seat as she adjusted her skirt. "But from what I saw on the T.V. during your social studies trip, you seem very vocal about your opposition to Akechi. So it's kind of odd to see you so quiet about it.

"I guess, I've just been trying to look things a bit differently that's all," Akira responded, a sullen look being quite noticeable in his face.

"Don't tell me you're starting to believe all that crap Akechi says," Ryuji groaned as he rolled his eyes.

A small chuckle came to Akira. "No nothing like that. I don't regret having changed any of those people's hearts. People were asking for help and I'm glad we were able to be there to help them." Akira sounded quite proud in his statement, which helped calm the rest of the group. Sadly, this was quickly deflated with a small sigh. "I guess I wonder about those that might end up getting caught in our fame."

"What do you mean…?" Ann asked, seeming both confused and conc/erned about how Akira was behaving.

"I know we always talk about giving courage to those that need it. To show them that they aren't alone and allow them to speak up." Akira ran his hand over his face, doing his best to seem composed. "But… what about those that feel like they aren't worth being saved?"

The group all looked at each other, not quite grasping what Akira was trying to say. Even Yusuke had put his pencil down to listen in. The only one who didn't was Morgana, who knew what Akira was getting at and could only sit quietly with a sad look.

"I'm sorry, if we seem a bit lost," Makoto awkwardly broke the silence. "But, what exactly do you mean by that?"

Akira placed his hands on the table, fingers intertwined with one another tightly. "Right now we are known as the group that target terrible people and change their heart. How do you think someone who viewed themselves as a terrible person would view the existence of the Phantom Thieves as…?"

A look of realization came to Makoto as she realized what he was hinting at.

"Well yeah, but if shitty adults start feeling terrible for their actions, isn't that kind of good in it's own way." Ryuji sadly, hadn't caught on to what Akira was getting at and just looked more confused.

"He's not talking about what terrible people think though." Makoto interjected, sounding quite down. "He's talking about those that are overwhelmed with guilt because of being unable to do things." She shook her head, looking back to her past self and how she viewed things. "I get what he's saying though. I mean before I joined you guys I had started to feel so useless. How I didn't try to look into the stuff with Kamoshida, how I was such a huge burden on my sister. Add that to how I felt so helpless to help all those students that had come to me for help because of the extortion and I started to feel like—"

"—the scum of the earth…?" Ann finished Makoto's sentence, patting her gently on the back as she looked down "But I guess, I get it too. I mean for the longest time I kept blaming myself for not being able to help Shiho when she needed me. I even got so far as to think that I deserved what that bastard's shadow as going to do to me as punishment for failing her."

"I guess to people like them, the Phantoms may end up being a sort shadow over them," Makoto continued after she gave Ann a grateful nod. "Some may even wished to be punished by us."

"If such a thing is true, couldn't one say that their heart would had become distorted as well?" Yusuke finally spoke up. Akira's hand twitched.

"Don't know, I mean even if they feel like that, it doesn't make them a bad guy. So they shouldn't have a Palace," Ryuji thought out loud.

"That might not be technically true," Morgana spoke up, causing everyone but Akira to turn to him with surprise. "I mean all it takes is for one to have a distorted desire, and those don't need to be technically evil ones… I think."

"Again with the wishy-washy stuff." Ryuji groaned.

"Be that as it may, there is no reason to let that falter us," Yusuke spoke once more. "If these aren't truly bad people, then they were simply put in such a state because they were unable to fight back against those that abused their power." Yusuke place his hand on his chin in contemplation. "In fact, if you ask me those are the ones that probably are in need of saving the most. I mean I didn't see myself of needing to be rescued, and yet you still stubbornly tried to do so because you believed it to be the right thing. Whether they decide to pick up that courage and move forward is up to them. The best we can do is give them that opportunity." Yusuke looked towards Akira "If I remember correctly, those were your words when I asked you if giving courage to others would do any good."

"I mean, at the end of the day, all we can do is to make sure that others aren't put into such a situation. Anything after that is up to them," Ryuji added confidently. "No need to complicate things too much?"

"I wouldn't go that far." Makoto admitted with a laugh. "But I do think that we should just focus on giving those people a chance to move past those feeling of guilt. We can't solve all their problems after all."

"I guess you guys have a point," Akira responded, much more relaxed than he had been before. "I just lost track of things for a moment there. Sorry for downing the mood there for a while. And don't worry, It's not like I was thinking of quitting the Phantom Thieves."

Makoto shook her head with a smile "It's fine. I mean, if there are any concerns that any of us have, then it's probably a good idea bring them up. The last thing we want is start causing more harm than good." Makoto grabbed her pencil, looking quite motivated. "Speaking of losing track of things, we should get back to—"

"That reminds me — the celebration party," Ryuji quickly interjected, clearly wanting to delay studies a bit more. "Weren't we gonna do it after exams?"

Makoto sighed "Yes, I believe so."

"Where should we go? I feel like I'll study better if I got something to look forward to."

"What about studying since it will help us as Phantom Thieves?" Akira commented jokingly, acting more like his usual self to the rest of the group, though still working on paper cranes.

"That was way too vague and sounds like something a school counselor would say," Ryuji shrugged. "You know me, I'm a runner. I much prefer to have a finish line that is in reach for me to run towards."

"Please don't just rush through your exams." Makoto asked, concerned.

"The last one was a buffet at a hotel. We haven't gone anywhere since," Morgana stated.

Yusuke suddenly dropped his pencil and spun towards Morgana. "Hmm!? A buffet!?" He asked, much more interested in the discussion than he was before.

"Isn't the firework festival this Sunday? How about that we go meet up for that? Ann proposed to the group.

"Do you guys own a yukata? Will you wear a yukata?" Morgana asked excitedly, clearly interested in seeing Ann in one.

Akira shook his head. "I left mine back at home. I didn't think I'd be in the mood to go to any festivals after all that had happen."

"We don't have that kind of stuff at my place," Ryuji added as well.

"What about you two?" Morgana look towards the girls. "I'm sure Yusuke probably has one, but do any of you have one?"

"I think I still have one that should fit," Makoto stated.

"I'm sure I have one lying around somewhere," Ann add as well.

Yusuke seemed lost in thought over both options. "It's hard to ignore a buffet, but I guess I can take the beauties of summer as well." He then raised his finger, a sly closed eyed smile showing as if proud of his idea. "Still, I demand that we feast during the festival as well."

"What do you think Akira? A firework festival sounds good, right?" Ryuji looked towards Akira, playfully elbowing his arm.

"It would be my first time doing a festival here in Tokyo..." Akira contemplated. He was starting to get excited. "Sure, sounds like a great idea."

"Alright, fireworks it is! Let's make sure to look for a good one!" Ryuji said triumphantly

"Study comes first, though. I won't let you off if you fail any of them." Makoto glared at Ryuji. Her tone being very similar to when she takes command as Queen. "Are we clear?"

"Y-yes, ma'am..." Ryuji stuttered, before putting his head to the books.

Akira couldn't help but chuckle. As he looked at his group of friends, he felt grateful to have met each of them. But as he turned to Ann, he noticed that she was still looking at him with a bit of concern, though she went back to the books when he noticed her. _'I wonder...'_

Akira's thoughts were distracted as he got a message from his phone. His expression shifted to panic as he read the message. "Shit! I forgot that that was tonight!"

He stood up from the chair and scrambled to clean his things, ignoring the shocked group.

"Sorry guys, I forgot I had planned to help a friend out today."

"Guess we'll have to do our study some other time," Makoto sighed in defeat.

"We did kind of drop in on you without much planning," Ryuji commented, feeling a bit guilty.

The group decided to clear up quickly as well so he could head out out. It didn't take long and as they said their goodbyes they each headed out. Ann was the last, stopping just before opening the door. She turned towards Akira, that same look of concern that she had previously shown.

"Hey, about what you were talking about..." Ann sounded uncertain. Her hand was crunching one of her pigtails, a habit she tended to do when stressed or nervous. "Do you know someone who's afraid of us? Are they in the hospital?"

Akira was shocked by Ann's question, but made sure to keep it under wraps. Keeping his cool and sounding relaxed he just smiled, "What do you mean?"

"The paper cranes." Ann pointed at the pile that was on the table. "When Shiho was in the hospital, I tried making some for her, like we used to do when someone was at a hospital during middle school. Though I'm no good at it so I didn't get far." Ann scratched her head in annoyance. "So when I saw you making those, I figured, that you were thinking about someone."

"I guess you're right in a sense." Akira ran his hand through his hair. "A… friend was in the hospital recently. They ended up collapsing so I went to see them." Akira replied slowly, being conscious of what words he should be using.

He worried that he might have let too much slip over the past few days. Part of him felt that he should have tried to hide it from Ann, especially now that he knew his feelings towards their homeroom teacher. But he planned to ask the group for their help when it finally came time to hit the Takases In Mementos. If he tried to hide it now, it would only bring more suspicion from Ann. So he settled for bits of truths, enough as to show that he was honest and the hopes that it will slow down the questions later on.

"Don't worry though. She should be out of the hospital by now. Honestly I was just doing the crane so I could practice my proficiency. I could had done some thief tools, but I figure that would've been too distracting for you guys."

' _She?'_ "That's good. I hope she gets better soon." Ann still seemed uncertain but accepted his response for now. She turn to the door, but as she reached out to open it, she hesitated and turned to Akira. "Hey… if something is ever bothering you, please don't hesitate to tell us...okay?" Ann turned away, seeming hesitant to say more, but ended with a shrug. "Anyway, goodnight."

"Goodnight," Akira waved as she left, grateful once more to have found people like them in his life, even if it does make it hard for him to keep things from them at time. He turned to Morgana. "We need to head out."

"You seem in a much better mood now." Morgana stood on the counter next to Akira, looking quite determined. "I assume that you've made up your mind then?"

"I got an idea of what to do, but I want to talk with someone before I finalize any plans." Akira picked up his bag and opened the door. "We Phantom Thieves aren't the only ones that can steal hearts, after all. There is more than one way to steal the hearts and minds of the people."

* * *

During the late hours of the night, a small group had gathered at Central Station. A small area, which was previously occupied by a small box, now held a stage and banners. Supposedly Yoshida Toranosuke was going to talk about the Phantom Thieves, which was the main reason for many to and listen to Yoshida's speech this night. As Akira came running up from the underground tunnel from Shibuya Station, he signaled a waiting Yoshida of his arrival.

"Sorry if I'm late." Akira apologized while taking a breather, though not to the same level of exhaustion as he had run the night before. "I lost track of time and was in the middle of a discussion with some friends."

"Do not fret," Yoshida assured him. "Matsushita is still in the process of setting things up, so we are still good on time."

"So have you decided on what to do?" Akira inquired, showing a much more serious face. "You know he's just doing this so you will bring up those false accusations. Not to mention he might still be hoping to convince you to become his right-hand man."

"Maybe." Yoshida crossed his arm in contemplation. "But I've known Matsushita for a long time now, and he has been very straight forward with us this whole time. I trust him to keep his words."

"If you says so" Akira shrugged. He went over and took a good luck at the crowd outside, seeming quite surprised by the numbers. "That's a much bigger crowd than usual."

"More than likely thanks to Matsuchiha's influence." Yoshida nodded to himself in thought. "The advantage of being part of a political party."

"All the more reason to stick to our ideals. Isn't that right sir?" Akira turned to Yoshida, giving him a respectful, and motivated smile.

Yoshida gave out a hearty chuckle. "That is quite true. Aaaah the recklessness of youth, how I miss those years." Yoshida nodded approvingly. "Though I do wish I had put it to better use than I did."

Akira also let out a small chuckle, though his slowly lost a bit of cheer. "Actually, There is something I want to ask you about."

"This is quite a surprising." Yoshida replied, seeming quite amused by the prospect. "Well then, what is it? You've been listening to my this whole time, so I think it's fair that I hear you out."

Akira nodded, "There's…" he hesitated for a bit, swallowing the large lump that had formed on his throat. "Someone important to me. They're in a very dark place right now and I want to be able to help them. But no matter how much I try, I feel like my voice isn't reaching them." Akira's hand squeezed tightly into a fist. "I'm worried cause I'm running out of time, as well as options. But I want to save her-I mean them…" Akira let out a sigh, figuring there was no point in hiding it in front of Yoshida as he look down in frustration at how helpless he felt. "I… want to save her."

"I see…" Yoshida responded, his tone much lower and serious. "That is quite a burden you've found yourself with." He places his hand on his chin, as he contemplates the situation. "If I may ask, Why not ask the Phantom Thieves? You mentioned being a fan of them, and I'm sure that they would be the kind of people to help her."

' _Because she is terrified of us? Because_ _I worry about what would happen to her if I took the those bastards down, and she was left all alone with that self-hatred and guilt that she suffers from_ _.'_ "If it gets to that point, then I will hope that they can help me, but in all honesty, I don't want to rely on them for all my problems." He looked as his hands, dented marks on his palms noticeable from where he pressed hard, before clenching them into a fist. "It won't mean anything if I can't save her with my own two hands."

"I see.. That is most definitely a very admirable stance to take, though not an easy one." Yoshida seemed about to say something when Matsushita, an acquaintance of Yoshida, and the one in charge of setting up this whole thing joined in.

"The stage is set my friend."

Yoshida gave Akira a nod before turning to Matsushita. "Thank you, I appreciate it, but…"

Matsushita raised his hand towards Yoshida. "I know, you don't need to tell me." He shook his head as he lowered his hand down. "You're not going to be my right-hand man, right? Don't worry, I won't pull any tricks or underhanded tactics." He let out a sigh, seeming disappointed, but taking it surprising well. "Just feel free to talk about being falsely accused. I'll handle whatever comes from it."

A crowded could be heard chatting up a storm, many surprised to see such a stage for "no-good Tora", others just hears because they heard that he would be talking about the Phantom Thieves, very few seemed actually interested in what he had to say on anything else, which annoyed Akira to no end.

Yoshida took it in stride though as he turned towards Akira and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Why not listen to my speech from inside the crowds this time. You might find some of those answers that you are looking for."

Akira nodded as she smiled. "Go break a leg, sir."

"Will do." Tora smiled back as he turned towards the crowd. he stood on the wooden platform, which while small, was still bigger than his usual box. And as he prepared to start the crowd went silent.

"Citizens! I would first like to thank you all for coming here." Yoshida began, his voice firm and held none of the doubt from when Akira had first heard him talk. "I'm sure many of you are here to because of the topic of my discussion focused on the Phantom Thieves. So I say, why don't we cut to the chase."

Akira gave an amused smirk as he noticed Matsushita in the crowd looking shocked at Yoshida's direction.

Yoshida raised his voice, commanding the attention of the crowd as he spoke. "I believe that the reason they're causing such a stir is because they are addressing the world's problems."

"What are you doing, Toranosuke…?" Matsushita thought out loud, shaking his head to the reality in front of him. "Are you really okay with this?"

Yoshida didn't' stop though as he continued on. "Setting aside whether their actions are right or wrong… There is one thing I can safely say about the Phantom Thieves. A belief with conviction… has the ability to move a person's heart." Yoshida closed his eyes, as he expressed a look of regret to the crowd. "I'm sure you are all aware that I am "No-Good Tora," the one accused of embezzlement. "I was a full 20 years ago. It's no wonder that I was considered a failure as a politician." He opened his eyes, his showing more determination than he had in the last couple of months. "However, because I was accused like that, I was able to understand the suffering of the weak."

Akira took note of that last part. Sensing something of importance in that statement. _'To understand the suffering of others...'_ He was reminded of their last meeting. Of how it felt like Yoshida could read him like an open book. How he was able to guess that he had suffered some grave injustice and cruelty just by the look of his eyes. Part of him was annoyed that these fake lenses of him weren't doing a good enough job. But he also spoke of how such events are what allowed him to see the good in those like "No-good Tora" And perhaps it's what allowed him to see Sadayo for who she is when no one else seemed unable to.

"Why am I in politics?" Yoshida continued. "In the past, it was merely for personal gain. But why do the Phantom Thieves continue to change hearts? I for one believe that they do it for the world and its people. And in choosing to do justice for others, they had no choice but to disguise themselves, since those in control would disapprove of their actions." he grabbed the mic, drawing it closer, making sure all that could hear him in this moment. "But know this, no matter what the world, says, I fully support them. I may be an average citizen. However, I will continue to voice my beliefs." he closed his eyes, sounding as if hardening his resolve, his voice calm, but ever strong. "Even if I don't become a Diet member this election… And eve if I am incapable to effect change during my life time… I've made my peace with that. I will be happy, as long as I can be a meaningful stepping stone for the future of our youth!"

The crowd were all silent. There wasn't the usual mocking chatter, or angry heckling that would normally happen, but there certainly wasn't any cheering or clapping either. But Yoshida simply gave a courteous bow, and as he rose, his simply smile to the crowd in front of him.

"Thank you for listening."

As Yoshida left the stage and went to the back, Akira left the crowd from the other end and went to meet up with him, in which he saw him already talking to Matsushita.

"So you really have no intention of accusing old man Kuramoto?" Matsushita asked, clearly annoyed by the outcome.

"That's right." Yoshida simply answered, not a hint of regret or apology in his voice.

Matsushita clicked his tongue in frustration. "...I set the stage for nothing then." He scratched the back of his head, his frustrations replaced with slight disappointment as he looked at Yoshida with a much more amicable look. "But sheesh… such a heartfelt speech for someone your age. People are probably laughing at you as we speak. I doubt any of them were moved by your words." He looked down, with a downed sigh, only to give a defeated smile. "… I might've been the only one in this entire city who was..."

Yoshida was in shock to hear his this admission. "Matsushita..."

"Proceed as you wish with your candidacy. I'll take measures to see it that the party backs you. Within the limits of my abilities, of course." Matsushita then turned to Akira. "He may be a fool, but you sure picked the right person to learn from."

Akira nodded. "I knew that from the beginning, sir. It just took everyone else time to realize that."

Matsushita gave a hearty laugh. "Blunt and upfront till the end aren't ya. You sure know how to pick them Toranosuke… Goodbye old friend." And with that he turned and walked off, leaving the two to ponder the results of this event.

Yoshida hummed to himself in thought, as he let what Matsushita had told him sink in. "My Candidacy… huh? What an unexpected turn of events." His mind drifting to an idea as he thought out loud to himself. "Perhaps, it's the effect of you moving my heart."

"What are you talking about?" Akira asked, unsure of what Yoshida is getting at.

"Where you able to find an answer as I spoke to the crowd?"

Akira nodded. "I think so, though it won't be easy," A look of concern became obvious in Akira's face. "I'm worried that my words won't be able to reach her though..."

"Kurusu-san." Yoshida call Akira's attention. "Do you remember what my philosophy is?"

"Akira looked at Yoshida with surprised look, but as he remembered he let out a small chuckle. "Yes, sir." Akira pumped his fist, as he spoke up. "Never give up until your voice is heard…! To get your message across, be tenacious in conveying your thoughts to the audience. Have a firm point of view, and communicate it clearly."

Yoshida nodded as he smiled approvingly. "That is quite correct, I'm glad to see you remember it quite well. If your audience, if she is so important to you, then don't waver in your resolve." Yoshida stood firm, as if to making sure to show Akira his own conviction. "I may not possess any special powers like the Phantom Thieves in changing people's hearts, but I won't' lose to them when it come to conviction. Yoshida stared down at Akira, as if the challenge was directed straight at him. "I May just have my voice and my words, but they are my weapon, and it is with those which I'm able to win people over. And with all that I taught you, I'm sure you'll be capable of doing so as well."

Akira felt reassured as Yoshida spoke, still nervous about how thing will go, but ready to tackle them. ' _It really Is a frightening weapon.'_ He gave a grateful bow, as if an apprentice thanking his master. "Thank you, I will be sure to do my best."

"Then we should part ways for now. I believe you are needed elsewhere." Yoshida waved him to rise up."

Akira rose his head, as he nodded, showing a much more confident smile. "One more thing." Akira turned to leave by gave Yoshida one more nod. "Matsushita was wrong, he wasn't the only one that was moved by your speech."

Akira sprinted off.

A content Yoshida watched the young man with a small chuckle. "Contrary to what I thought, getting your heart stolen isn't such a bad thing. But to think that a member of the Phantom Thieves would come to me for help in regards to a girl's heart..."

"Good luck to you, Akira Kurusu."

* * *

Sadayo sat in her couch, clutching her phone tightly. piles of newspapers, magazines and pamphlet littering the floor around her, a perfect image of her state of mind. For the past 2 hours she'd been trying her best to steel herself about the call that she was about to do, only to panic at the last moment and try desperately to find another solution. She needed money, she needed it fast. And no matter how desperate she was, she refused to ask Akira for that amount.

"Maybe a new job opening would be available? I mean even if it's much farther than I'm used to, and I might have to start doing my school work on commute. But if I can get a high pay it should work out, right?" Sadayo tried to rationalize, but sadly no such job would be available in such a short amount of time.

"Maybe some sort of commission based work? kind of like my maid job. I mean I would have to pile up the hours quickly, but then I can fill up what I need and not worry about the rest." Sadayo argued for. Unfortunately, her experience with Victoria were an easy reminded that such jobs aren't a font of such offerings. If such things were the case than Victoria would have been enough.

"M-maybe if I try selling blood, or bone marrow… or egg cells? I've heard that a lot of people have been doing that to get some quick cash…right?"

Sadayo desperately tried to grasp any thread that would give her an out from her situation. But as each one failed to provide her and out, the reality of her situation kept sinking more and more. She didn't' want to do this, she wanted out, but it was because she ran from Takase that he died, she had no right to run from her punishment.

"It's my responsibility after all…" She whimpered in as she finally called. She let out a long sniff and rubbed her eyes, doing her best to compose herself before the phone answered.

"Hello, this is Victoria!" How may we help you?" A woman cheerfully answered the other line.

"Hey, it's Sadayo Kawakami. I would like to talk to our boss." She asked, sheepishly.

"Ah, Kawakami-san. I'll direct you to him then." The woman responded, sounding a lot less chipper and much more professional.

She had been put on hold, each loop of the song felt like hours when it barely lasted a minute. Like it was taunting her, giving here chance to hang up and act like this isn't happening. Eventually though, he phone picked up, a much gruffer voice voice coming from the other end.

"Kawakami-san. I've already given you more hours than I probably should have. I can't just give you every customer.." The man sounded annoyed, probably having had this argument with for so long now and probably expecting what was to come.

The man never failed to annoy Sadayo, especially during their long arguments that they would have at times about her hours, but she couldn't distract herself, doing so would weaken her resolve, and after going this far, she couldn't back down. "Actually, I want to talk about me quitting.

"I see." the man bluntly replied. "Well I'm not surprised, I expected to get this call at some point. I will say though that I'm Impressed, considering how long you've been with us. You definitely were a hard worker."

Sadayo was surprised by the man's compliment, though could had gone without the backhanded nature of it. "Thank you sir, but… I'm also calling about the possibility to being transferred to your sister company."

"I see…" There was much more of a pause this time around, the phone being quiet, which only made the tension on Sadayo's end to worsen. You understand what that would entail yes?"

"Yes sir." Sadayo answered.

"And you do understand that your likelihood of running into shady individuals is higher."

"...Yes sir." Sadayo forced out, of her lips.

"As long as you understand, what you do after this is none of my business after all. We can talk about the transfer process as soon as you wish."

Sadayo eyes turned to her table, fixated on the assortment of containers, thermos and utensil that she brought back with her. A note that came with them sitting in her pocket. Her hand went in and fiddle with said note, as she remembered the surprise that was left for her by her student.

* * *

She had received a message from him early in there morning from Akira during her paper route.

[A]: You asked for a warning for next time.

[A]: Look in the lower right shelf of your table.

"What is he planning this time?" Sadayo asked herself, as she went back home and change to her more casual clothing.

After The Takases call last Saturday, Sadayo felt the pressure to leave the hospital as soon as possible and make it to her jobs. Something that Tae seemed to notice, reprimanding her for even thinking about going to work immediately afterwards. Despite this she threw herself back to working as much as she could on Sunday so she had barely eaten or relaxed since her stay in the hospital.

Sadayo eventually got to the school, and after remembering the message from Akira, looked inside her desk. To her surprise, she came to find that there was a package wrapped in a cloth of some sort. She looked around, and after making sure she wasn't noticed as she removed the knot and found two small containers, a thermos, and a spoon, with a note wrapped around the handle. One container contain rice, while the other one seem to be filled with curry. Sadayo was quite surprised by the package, but as she read the note she let out a weak smile.

 _I figured you've probably haven't been eating that well, and I had some leftovers, so I figured I'd share some with you as well as some coffee to help out._

 _I want to talk to you, so please leave yourself available tonight. You can return the containers to me then._

 _Becky, I hope to talk to you soon._

* * *

"Actually..." Sadayo eventually broke. "If it's okay you, we can do this tomorrow. I' can at least work while you get everything sorted out. Just in case any requests show up."

She could hear and audible huff from the other end of the phone. "Very well, I would give me some time to arrange stuff around. We'll discuss this tomorrow."

"Thank you sir. Goodbye." Sadayo hung up as she took out the note from her pocket as her thoughts went to her troublesome student "Seriously, it's hard to tell at times if he's just that lucky or if he can understand me that well."

Sadayo turned to the remains of the effort and time Akira had taken to prepare food for her, the effort he put to make sure she got it without anyone noticing, and the note that he left her.

That feeling that she felt that night in the hospital never left. That desire to see him and hear his voice. She thought that after seeing him at school that it would go away, but in a way it wasn't enough, and that longing only became stronger as she struggle to make the phone call.

Her phone began to ring and as she saw who it was felt her heart beat faster, being quick to pick up. "Hey!" She replied, the enthusiasm of her voice not coming from Becky, but Sadayo.

"Hey," the voice on the other end spoke. Ringing inside her head as wave of emotion. "I get it that you got my message?"

"Yeah..." Sadayo confirmed, both happy to hear from him, but sadden as well for what was to come. "Actually… I need to talk to you as well."

"Then I'll be sure to put out a request. I'll see you soon, Becky."

"Yeah, wait for me, Master." Sadayo hung up as she stared at the phone. Her head down as she prepared for her last outing. Becky's last night with her caring master. Sadayo was smiling, but it was a sad, lonely smile as a small tear ran down her face. "I'm… going to miss him."

* * *

Sadayo entered the cafe to the smell of brewing coffee. It seems like Akira wasted no time and as soon as he knew she was coming had started to run the siphon. "That's strange, it smells kind of flowery." Sadayo commented, as she'd started to take recognize the differences in the coffee that Akira would brew.

"It's not surprising," Akira began talking as he remained focused on brewing. "These kinds of bean tend to have a more fruity taste to them so it is reflected in the smell."

Sadayo couldn't help but smile as he explain the delicacy of the coffee beans. "You're sounding more and more like an expert on this with each night." Sadayo took a seat, looking around her surrounding as she poured her a cup. While she never disliked the shop's style, it ha definitely grown on her as the weeks went on. How it felt so inviting, quiet and isolate from the rest of the world, maybe it was partially because of this, along with the lighting, that she had grown to become so comfortable around Akira, perhaps this is what made seeing him now feel so different to when he was at school. In here, it felt like it was just the two of them. Just a maid and her master as they spend the night in each others company... Even his room which she first saw as ragged and dingy had become quite endearing to her.

"Here" Akira offered her a cup before pouring one for himself.

Sadayo took her time, feeling the warmth of the cup in her hand as she smelled the aroma coming from it and taking a sip. Her smile betraying why she had come here for today. "You know, I've really have come to like the antique feel of this place." Sadayo smile becoming sadder as she stared at the cup, wanting to get things over with or else she'd find herself hesitating once more. "But sadly I have to say my goodbyes tonight."

"What do you mean?" Akira turned a glance towards her. He sounded wary and concerned, but not surprised.

"The thing is, I've actually decided to quit!" Sadayo responded, trying to sound much chipper about the news than she really was. "...My boss just so happen to find me a part-time job that pays better than this one. So I'll be moving to start that job soon."

Alarms started sounding in Akira's head ' _She's not suggesting she...she couldn't have…?'_ "So by quitting you mean just hopping to another job?" Akira gave Sadayo a suspicious glare, which made her look away nervously, only enforcing his suspicions. "Please tell me you're not talking about that sister location you had mentioned in the hospital are you?"

"No, it's nothing like that." Sadayo tried desperately to refute. "It just so happens to-"

"Find a job that your company knows of and pays much better than your current job as a maid." Akira was quick to remind Sadayo.

Sadayo could only look away, unable to answer Akira's interrogation.

"Kawakami!"

"Why did I have to open my big mouth about that?" Sadayo regretted having told Akira more than she should have in her moment of weakness. "It would had been so much easier for me if you hadn't had asked that." She continue to look away in shame, as a crawling feeling of disgust fall over her, as if a large number of hand began grabbing hold of her, causing her to curl up. Hugging herself tightly as a defeated chuckle escaped her lips. "You're probably disgusted by me now... aren't you? I mean why wouldn't you be."

"Of course of not, I'm worried about you." Akira quickly interjected, "Why did you do this? I thought we were going to talk things out?" he frustratingly demanded, before a realization came. "It's them isn't it?" he growled.

Sadayo position was unchanged, as she continue to avoid her master's gaze. She stayed quiet from some time, but realizing that hiding things from him wouldn't work decided to be honest. "Takase-kun's guardian's called me that Saturday after you left. They increased the payment on me. I tried to look for anything that could help, but I'm out of options and running out of time. This is just what I have to do."

"Damn them!" Akira Slammed his fist against the counter, causing Sadayo to flinch with a soft whimper. Once again he let his guard down, thinking that she was safe. "Please reconsider. There has to be another option."

"I told you didn't I!?" Sadayo weakly protested. "I tried desperately to find something, anything that I could go to, but I cant' I just can't!" Sadayo shook her head in frustration as her voice became nothing but a whimper as she hid her face with her hands. "I have nothing left, this is all I can do…"

It pained Akira to see Sadayo like this, and he was kicking himself for his outburst. her sudden news had caught him off guard and now she was closing herself off. He needed to turn the tides, he needed her to listen to him, if he was going to save her.

He walked from the counter and towards Sadayo, crouching down and looked upward to her hidden face. "Kawakami..." his voice calmer, thought not getting a reaction from her as she continued to hide. "Kawakami, please.. look at me. I'm not disgusted or hate you or anything of the sort. Just be honest with me, do that and I'll give up. But can you look at me in the eyes, and tell me that this is really what you want?"

"What do you mean? Sadayo gave Akira a cursory glance, still keeping to herself. "The Takases say that the only true way to apologize to Takase-kun is by paying them. If that's not true, then what was the point of paying them all these years? Of me ignoring my responsibility as a teacher for those payments?" Sadayo let out another pathetic chuckle. "Maybe I really should quit being a teacher… I mean no one wants me there by this point. I might even get out of having to pay them if I'm no longer a teacher" Sadayo looked at Akira, Forcing herself to give a big smile. "I mean people like me have no right being a teacher. And if I quit on my own, then I won't' have to pay them….So I'll just quit both my teaching job and my maid job… That way I won't have to go to the sister company. There, you're satisfied now, right?" Sadayo asked in frustration. She wanted to end this quick, say their goodbyes and end it. But instead he stubbornly kept trying and wouldn't give up. The longer they went on, the more it hurt for her to say goodbye. "I told you didn't I, some people aren't worth helping.. So please, just let me go."

Akira could tell that Sadayo was at her limits, she had to be to have reached this point. Ignoring the aggressiveness of her questions he stayed focused. His voice calm and regretful. "I understand how frustrated you must be. Considering how long you've been doing this, to have that all be for nothing is beyond painful. **But** , you still haven't answered my question." His voice changed right then to one much more stern. "I didn't ask, what the Takases said, I asked if this is what **YOU** want? Is this really what you've decided?"

"How can you be so certain?" Sadayo glared at Akira. Her body slowly coming up from her coiled up state."How do you know that this wasn't my decision? You've only known me for 4 months, and it wasn't till the end of May that we actually started talking to one another! So why? Why are you so sure that you know me!?" She stood in front of the crouching Akira, her face flared up similarly to the night in which she had reprimanded him for wasting his money on her.

' _Always the fighter.'_ A small smile of victory slipped along his lips as he stood up, towering over his upset maid. Placing his hand on his pocket as he stood his ground without fear. "Tell me then? Why are you still a teacher?"

Sadayo was caught of guard by the sudden question, being reminded of when Ms. Chouno had asked her the same thing. "W-what do you mean?"

"Sorry, I can't give you the answer to that. I mean you said it yourself just now didn't you, how I don't know you? So tell me, if you really felt yourself unworthy of being a teacher, why are you still teaching?"

"I… I don't know. It's been so long ago." Sadayo's temper started to cool, as she tried to think of an explanation for Akria's questions. "I mean I truly felt bad about what happened to Takase-kun, so I should've resigned. And yet I still remember feeling the need to teach.. I know that because.. I still feel that way even now."

"I thought you said you didn't want to be a teacher anymore? That it was **your** decision?" Akira commented as he started to see a crack from which to focus on. "Wouldn't what you said right now be your true answer?"

"Kurusu-kun" Sadayo looked toward Akira, as he patiently awaited her answer.

The crawling sensation that she was previously feeling began to dissipate, as it is replaced with a feeling of warmth that started in her chest and spread all over. Sh crossed her arms as she tried to remember back to the day she heard of Taiki's passing, something she had avoided doing because she felt it to painful. But for some reason, she felt a desire to give him her honest response and pushed forward, until a realization came to her.

"Oh, that's right.. When I heard the news of Takase-kun's death I cursed my weakness and how I had failed him. How if I might've been able to save him if I hadn't been afraid of rumors or labels back then. And so I decided that the way to apologize to him was to make sure there won't ever be another student like him" Sadayo gestured to herself as she placed her hand against her chest. "I wanted to become a teacher who takes care of her students. A teacher that would stand up for her students and guide them forward and to see as they grow up with a sense of pride, just like my father did. That's the mindset that I had at the time!"

Sadayo looked to see Akira's reactions, she could see that he was smiling, seeming happy to hear her come to this conclusion. However Sadayo just shook her head sadly at this realization. "But look at me now. I spend all my free time at part-time jobs, just so I can continue working as a teacher. And yet with all of that I just lazily did the bare minimum." Her hands grabbed tightly to her apron as she looked down in shame. "I put the critical work of a teacher on the back burner, treating it like it was a burden that I had to deal with instead of the reason that i was working so hard for. And for what? Just so I could make 'apology' money." Sadayo shook her head once more, finally coming to terms with her mistake. "That's where it all went wrong… I can't make things right with Takase-kun like this..."

"That may be so, but it's not too late." Akira finally spoke up once more. leaning forward, giving Sadayo a comforting smile "As long as you have that desire to teach, there is still time to fix those mistakes."

' _Kurusu-kun…'_ As Sadayo looked towards Akira she could feel as a number of emotions that she had long lost start to surface She could feel as she got her second wind and could finally move on. After so many years, she felt like she had finally found her path in life, to have found meaning and a desire to strive forwards.

"Yeah, you're right." Sadayo nodded in response. "I'll be the teacher that I aspire to be… That's the right way for me to make amends to Takase-kun, and how I honor the memory of my father. From here on, I refuse to pay them any more money! Instead I'll put all my focus into helping my students. And that is my answer!

"...Well, what do you think?" Sadayo gave Akira a big smile

"Why are you asking one of your students?" Akira teased slightly as he messed with one of his messy bangs. He cheered internally at his teacher's proclamation to stop paying the Takases. "Be confident in your answer."

Sadayo giggled at Akira's response. "You're right. After all, you can't get the right answer from someone else. It can only be found from within… That is what you taught me, I guess that's why I felt so comfortable asking you. Because in a way, you're **MY** teacher." Sadayo couldn't help herself but laugh, feeling more alive than she had in a long time.

Akira felt a huge sense of relief knowing that his words had managed to reach her. But as he witnessed Sadayo laugh and smile and look so alive, he could feel a strong desire in his heart. He placed his hands in his pockets to keep it check.

"I'm only kidding of course" Sadayo clarified soon after she finished laughing, Noticing the blush cheeks on Akira's face. "Still, I have a lot of mistakes to fix, and it won't be easy." Sadayo spoke up, obvious of the difficulty she will be facing, but her voice sounding more determined than defeated. "For the longest time I've been so worried about making money that I haven't been paying attention to my students. And that goes especially to you."

Sadayo's expression become softer, her voice much more caring as she looked toward her student "I averted my eyes from you, and even wished for your expulsion because you were labeled, just like Takase-kun was…"

Sadayo looked to Akira, smiling as her eyes were filled with affection, grateful for having him in her life.. ' _So he really did know me that well. it's strange to think that it'd become so close to a student that they'd understand me better than I did myself. Honestly I keep having to remind myself, since I'm so attached to him. Because in truth he's more than just a student to me, more than just my master. He's…. a dear friend. Yeah...'_

Sadayo gave Akira a determine look in her eyes, standing proudly in front of him. "But from now on, I'm going to protect you too. As your teacher, I will never betray you."

Akira nodded back to her. "Thanks." ' _Yeah, as my teacher...'_ Akira knew that his feelings were one sided, but it still stung to hear her say it like that, as if he was already being rejected before he even had a chance to tell her. Still he was coming to terms with that and wasn't going to let that ruin the mood after how hard he worked. Though there still was one concern in his mind. "Still, what will you do about the Takases?"

"I'll be sure to speak with them." Sadayo smiled confidently. "I'm not going to run anymore. Everything should be fine as long as I talk to them face to face." Sadayo looked at her watch, looking a bit annoyed at how little time was left. "Speaking of which I should go. I'll see you later, okay?"

Akira wasn't feeling as optimistic about the situation as Sadayo was. He'd run into his fair share of scumbags and monsters, and the Takases are right up there on the top in his mind. They're not the kind of person that would back away that easily. But Sadayo had regained her spirit back, and he wanted to have faith in that confident smile of hers. "I hope you're right, but know that if anything happens I'll be there to help you. Because, I want to protect you as well."

Sadayo let out a small giggle at Akira's declaration. "...That kind of line only works from someone old enough to handle his own household chores." Sadayo looked once more at the person in front of her, her cheeks blushing red. "..But, thank you, for everything...Good night, Kurusu-kun."

"Good night, Kawakami."

* * *

It was the second period of classes, It was a free period for Sadayo, but it was far from relaxing. As she sat in one of the chairs at the student's guidance office she readying herself as she called their number. Being answered by a female voice.

"Hello, this is that Takases Residence. To whom may I be speaking."

"Hello, this is Ms. Kawakami calling."

"Ms. Kawakami? I'm surprised to hear from you so soon. Are you calling because you're having trouble paying the amount. If so then I apologize, but me and my husband can't accept any more delays, I'm sure you understand." The woman explained. the faux sympathy coming through very clearly, much to Sadayo's surprise.

'Did.. she always sound like this?' "Actually, I'm calling to let you know." Sadayo took a deep breath. "I've decided that from now on I won't be paying any more apology money. I hope you will understand."

"What?" the woman asked flatly on the phone completely caught off guard by Sadayo's declaration. "But what about Taiki. Have you so easily forgotten what you did to him?"

"I still intend to make amend for my failure to help Takase-kun. But I've come to realize that in focusing on paying the apology money, that I've disregarded the needs of my students. So instead I will focus to help them—"

"So you've finally decided to show your true colors!" The woman on the phone interrupted seeming much more agitated than before. "You never really cared about him did you, considering how easily you seem to be discarding you're responsibility to his death."

A few day ago, an attack like this would had have her constantly apologizing as she was filled with blame and self-hate, but the her on today is different, and instead Sadayo is left annoyed by their insinuation and manipulation.

"My responsibility is to the students of this school, and it had been one that I had discarded for so long to make those payments. It's clear that you're being irrational so I shall end this call now. If you wish to continue this discussion I will be glad to discuss this with both of you, but for now I have a job to do and I don't intend to run away from it like I did before. Good day."

With That Sadayo hung up the phone. the fight wasn't over. She'd had probably a long battle in front of her, and the possibility of them taking her to court or arguing to the board of education as they had threatened her so many times was a real possibility. But she had prepared herself for that reality last night. she wouldn't back away and she'd face them head on. As as she thought of what was to come she was surprised find that it wasn't with a sense of fear or dread in her heart, but with determination and resolve.

"It's… actually happening." She said, feeling as she could finally the light at end of the tunnel. And as she imagine that light, a figured popped in her mind. Someone that she felt grateful and wanted to tell the news as soon as possible, but considering how exams are starting soon it would probably the best not to excuse him from class and decided to wait till lunch period. as she went to her next class, with a smile on her face and her notebook held closely to her chest. ' _I wonder how will he react when I tell him? I'm actually looking forward to it!'_

For the remainder of the first half of school, Sadayo did her best to work hard to teach her classes. Though it was still difficult for her a times considering she still hadn't let her body fully recover. Her enthusiasm hadn't gone unnoticed though.

"Did something happen to you last night Ms Kawakami?" Ms. Chouno asked looking quite surprised to see Sadayo putting so much effort all of a sudden. "You seem different."

"Huh?" Sadayo turned to Ms. Chouno, smiling awkwardly as she scratched her cheek with her index finger. "I guess…?"

"While it's all well and good to finally have you putting some effort," Ms. Usami joined in on the conversation. "Please pay more attention to what you're doing. There are students talking about how you seemed to space out when writing on the board and started writing nonsense until the class representative asked you about it.

"I'm sorry about that. I've just had a lot on my mind these past days." Sadayo bowed apologetically from her seat, embarrassed about the whole thing. While her mind and spirit were ready to go, her body still hadn't fully recovered, and she knew that it would probably take some time for her to do so, so mistakes were going to happen. ' _Still, I'm glad I didn't end up writing anything embarrassing.'_

"I wonder though," Mr. Hiruta waltz into the conversation, ever drawing the attention as always. "This new spring in her step, the vast amount of energy and life in her, despite the her body clearly looking worn and tired."

"Thank you so much for noticing…" And annoyed Sadayo mumbled sarcastically to herself, though it seemed to go unnoticed by her colleague.

"I wonder…" Mr. Hiruta gesture, having come up with a conclusion to his inquiry "Could it be that our Japanese teacher has found romance?"

"What!?" Ms. Chouno and Usami both look at shock at this conclusion, but just as surprised to hear this was Sadayo.

"What are you talking about, It's nothing like that." Sadayo protested, a blush clearly noticeable in her cheeks, her expression becoming much more reserved after calming herself. "It's just that, I've come to realize a lot of my mistake, and I want to do my best to make things right, that's all…"

' _What is he saying, of course it's not something like that. I mean, it's not like that with me Kurusu-kun. He's just a friend, I don't have those kinds of feelings for him. I'm just a bit riled up with all that happen. I mean with how he rushed to my aid and comforted me, and helped me… the way it felt when he held me…._

 _I-I'm sure once this is all cleared up I'll be able to realize that it was just me over thinking things…. right?'_

The three teacher all looked at Sadayo as she lost herself in her thoughts, before looking at each other. They all seemed confused by this drastic shift in personality. None of them said anything, but they all started to wonder if a certain group had done something to her.

"Ms. Kawakami." Chouno asked Sadayo, snapping her away from her thoughts. "Are you sure you have been feeling alright? Has anything strange happen to you recently? You did seem quite out of it last Saturday."

"I-I'm fine, I'm fine!" Sadayo waved it off, worried about her line of questioning. "I just felt a bit under the weather that's all." The school bell rang, and Sadayo let out and internal sigh of relief to hear that lunch period had start. "Looks like it's lunch time. Sorry, but I have to go, I need to discuss some matters with Kurusu-kun. The rumors on him have only be getting worse, so I want to see how he's doing." Sadayo Stood up and with a bow left the room, confusing the other teachers.

"She's even purposely interacting with, and checking on our problem transfer." Ms. Usami stated. "You don't think that she had her…?" Her question only netting her a shake for their heads and a shrug from the other two.

Sadayo use the intercom system and called Akira to the Student guidance room, where she patiently waited for him to arrive. Feeling a bit embarrassed at how excited she felt about telling him the news.

The door opened and in came Akira, carrying his bag in tow. "You asked for me Ms. Kawakami?" He closed behind him and moved towards her.

Sadayo stood from her seat and met him halfway. A smile noticeable her face as she closed one eye and placed her palms together. "Sorry about taking time away from your lunch, but I really wanted to tell you as soon as I possible. I called the Takases, and I let them know that I'm not going to be paying them any more." Sadayo pump her fist energetically as her smile widened. "Not only that, but I've also started working on quitting all my part-time jobs. Though I'm still in talks with all my bosses about it so it will take some time.

"That's great!" Akira's enthusiasm showing in his response and happy to see Sadayo finally getting her life together. "Just let me know if you need anything, I can always make you some lunches if you like."

"I'll… think about it." Sadayo, shifted awkwardly at the concept of her student regularly making her lunches, but kept her cheerful demeanor. "But today is a new beginning for me. I'm going to devote myself to being a great teacher! No matter what other say, I won't waver." Sadayo Looked into her students eyes, feeling mesmerized by them as she felt her body warm up and smiled. "I wanted you to be the first to know, since it was because of all your help that I was finally able to reach this point. I'm so grateful for all the support and good advice that you'd given me. So, thank you…"

Their discussion was interrupted as a knock could be heard from the other end. A female voice calling out. "Ms. Kawakami? are you still in here? you have a guest. It's the Takases…"

A look of shock showed on both their faces.

"Wait! They're here? At school…!?" Sadayo panicked, became flustered and wide eyed.

Sadayo already expected to continue their conversation, but she didn't expect them to come directly to the school so quickly. She could tell that Akira, attitude had drastically changed after hearing this, no longer was the soft expression on his face present, but and angered, and defensive one. Seeing this, she took of deep breath and calmed herself. this was way sooner than she had planned, but nothing changed. She told Akira that she wouldn't waver or run away, and she was determine to show how just how much he had helped her change.

The two strode into the room, a look of frustration present on both their faces. The woman turned her gaze, noticing the frightening student from the hospital was present once more and clicked her tongue in annoyance."

"And he's here as well?"

"You know it, lady." Akira taunted, making little effort to hide his disdain for the couple. "Sensei is still recovering from her time in the hospital, so if you have a problem I would appreciate it if you took you're complaints elsewhere."

"H-how Rude!" the woman growled back. Probably feeling much braver since they were at school grounds. "But I guess a student is only as good as his teacher. Obviously you lack a proper education."

Hearing them talk down to Akira like that frustrated Sadayo. Her fist clenched tightly as she stared down the couple. "You know nothing about him, so I ask that you refrain from talking about any of my student in that manner. Besides, your complaints are with me aren't they?"

"You're damn right it is!" The man yelled in frustration. "Do you really think you could just call and say that you're not going to pay anymore? Who do you think you are?

"I'm a teacher." Sadayo answered. Not a hint of hesitation in her voice as she stared back at the man in front of her. "And one who is going to make sure that there won't' be any more students like Takase-kun. Who-"

"See it's like I told you." the woman interrupted her once more. "All she's doing is trying to get out of her responsibility." She placed her her fingers by her lips, her words dripping with venom as a twisted smile became noticeable. "I bet you don't even care about poor Taiki! How are you still a teacher? Maybe we really should sue the Board of Education!" The woman head tilted to the side, her voice clearly heading towards mocking as she continue to press on Sadayo's past mistakes and fears. "Are you OK with that? A teacher who caused her students to die would surely cause a scandal."

Akira was agitated to beginning with, and hearing this woman talk to Sadayo like that, especially after all the tears she let out for her student, was pushing Akira to the edge. But as he turned his gaze towards Sadayo he saw no signs of shakiness or fear. This was her battle now, and as much as he wanted to jump in, he didn't want to take this away for her, as she needed to face this head on.

Sadayo stood there as she listen to the Takases go off on her. Taiki's name kept being brought up, but it was never with care of sadness, but with manipulation. As if they cared little about him himself and were just using him. ' _The way they talk about him… Were this always so awful…? I must have been a real idiot to l_ _e_ _t these two use me like that…'_

"And what did you two do for him?" Sadayo bit back back at their accusations, frustrated at her self for not noticing the true nature of these two individuals, but mostly frustrated to realize just how desperate Takase-kun must have felt. "You had him working all those part-time jobs, compared to my tutoring sessions. You should had known that he was motivated to work hard and go to college, you could had helped lightened the load for him as his guardians! But instead you pushed him to work himself to death, just so he can have enough to continue his education while living. He was under your care, so What did you do for him.!?"

The Takase seemed taken aback by such a sudden take down. Probably having become used to the complacent and guilt ridden person that they had been using. A smug smirk showing on Akira's face from behind Sadayo.

"I know I screwed up when I gave up on helping him in the end, but I'm not going to run or hide! I'm going to spend my time here, taking care of my students." Sadayo place her hand on her hip as she leaned slightly to the side. A pose that Akira recognize whenever she'd be lecturing or nagging him, as she directed it against the couple. "If you want to take legal actions, then go ahead. Regardless, I'll be here, and continue teaching. It's what I decided to be the best apology that I can make to Takase-kun. Paying money to you two is not the solution, to say the least! If that is all you have to say then I suggest to leave, I have students to take care off, and I've already wasted enough time thanks to you two." Sadayo sternly proclaimed.

The Takase were confused, wondering where this rebellious spirit came from. Akira let out and audible whistle of surprise at seeing Sadayo tear them down. Seeing her fight back against them definitely gave him goosebumps and was enjoying looking the Takase as they were unable to comprehend what was going on. ' _Maybe she could do this on her own? Maybe he wouldn't need to gather the Phantom Thieves/'_ As those optimistic thoughts came to mind though, a part of him was still concerned. Sadayo had taken their threats and challenge them, facing their bluff and daring to fight her. With how petty the Takases were, he'd expect them to start panicking after their leash had been severed, but they didn't. They were confused, sure, but there were no signs of their fall. 'They must have something else on their sleeves, but what...'

Eventually the man composed himself, looking up and down Sadayo in a way that made Akira want to slug him, the urge only growing when he let out a malicious grin. "Very well, and while we're suing you, maybe I should tell everyone about your little secret…"

' _He wouldn't…?'_ Akira hoped that his fear wouldn't come to pass.

"...You know. About your little stint as a sex worker."

' _Dammit! Of course he would.'_

"How did you…!?" Sadayo asked in a panic, her stern and determined expression shattered, and in its place, all that was left was wide eyed shock.

"Oh?" The man grinned victoriously. his expression almost seeming monstrous to Sadayo. "So I'm right, am I?

"WHAT!?" Sadayo's body coiled back in horror, she screwed up and jumped the gun again. "But why would you-?"

"Do you take us for fools?" the man gloated, having gotten the upper hand." I mean, the amount of money you're paying us can't come from just a teacher's salary." The man walked closer to Sadayo who had her wind knocked out of her, reverting back to her old self as she was unable to face them, her eyes starting to look dead as she began to hug herself. He leaned forward. coming close to her. "Well? Why don't we head over to the faculty office? I'm sure they'd love to hear all about your other job."

' _I'll kill them!'_ Akira's eyes were filled with bloodlust. He'd seen shadows that were more compassionate than these two, and he wiped the ground with them without problem and not a sense of remorse. If it wasn't for Morgana's' constant whispering to calm down and the remainder of Mementos, he would have grabbed them both from the throat then and there.

The animosity did not go a miss from the Takases who both seemed much more weary of him, but this time they had no intention of letting go of their golden goose. After all, if Akira struck at them, they would have more than enough evidence to sue the school and drag Sadayo even further. A fact that both of them knew as they grinned at the restrained student, mocking him.

Akira wondered if that was the look Kamoshida had given Ryuji when he had goaded him into striking him.

"Stop… please." Sadayo's begging was but a whimper. All that courage she had built up was crumbling into nothing.

The man just laughed at her. "A teacher working in the sex industry? You've definitely done it this time. But then I'm sure that's all a worthless piece of trash like you could ever be of some worth." He leaned forward to Sadayo ear, making sure she could hear his words. "You really thought you could just leave Taiki's matter unsettled…? I hope you finally understood your place, right? You know when your next due date is, right?. So pay up! And don't ever bring this garbage about stopping those payments! Time is running short, so make sure to work hard, For dear Taiki's sake."

The two walked away, gloating in their victory over the other two. Akira was at a loss, doing his best to lower the rage that was building up, but having difficulty to do so. Every bone in his body was telling him to run off and take care of them then and now, and it took every restraint in him to not do so. Sadayo on the other hand was broken, placing her hand on the table to keep herself from falling from the shock. Her mind still not quite processing what had just happened to her. All she could do was laugh.

"I guess I can't quit my part-time jobs just yet. Her body shook as her hand rose to cover her mouth. She felt sick in her stomach.

"You can't just give up!" Akira tried to console her. "I mean didn't you said that-"

"I know what I said!" Sadayo snapped at Akira, only to feel ashamed at herself for doing so soon after. "But what am I supposed to do…? There is nothing I would be able to say to defend me working at Victoria's, and if they found out that I was about to transfer to the sister company…"

The realization of her actions all came at once. She put both hands over her mouth, her breathing became faster and more ragged. "Oh god…!"

Panic and desperation set in as the walls rushed closer while the chains on her neck started to choke her. She'd probably make a deal with the devil by this point. ' _I can't escape, I can't fight back, so someone…'_ As those words popped into her mind, Sadayo thought back to all the times Akira had talked to her about the Phantom Thieves. How they fight for those that can't fight back, that they give courage to those that feel like all hope is lost.

"Kurusu-kun…" Sadayo called Akira, the desperation in her voice palpable. "Remember what you said, about the Phantom Thieves? Would they truly help someone as worthless a me?" Sadayo laughed at herself. After complaining so much, after yelling at Akira for always bringing them up to her, here she was, begging for help. "No… of course not. Why would they?"

It didn't take anything special to know that Sadayo was deeply hurting. He wanted so much to believe that Sadayo would had been able to handle this on her own, but at this point, there is nothing she could do, and there is nothing he could do to help her as Akira Kurusu. He'd worked so hard to give her back her will to live, and seeing the Takases trample all over that was the last straw. It was time for Joker to take action.

"I give up… I can't do this anymore…" Sadayo could feel her energy rapidly fading, her eyes looking dead as she stared at the chair in front of her.

"Kawakami, listen to me, because this is very important. I need their names."

"Names? Why would you need that…?" Sadayo response was monotone, clearly having lost any will to keep going. She shook her head, not seeing the point of all of this, but deciding to answer anyway. "The husband is Toshio-san… the wife Hiromi-san… How could I forget those name since I write their checks every week..." She ended with an emotionless chuckle, as if just going through the motion, but as soon as she stopped, the realization of who was asking came to her mind. Life being brought back into her eyes as she turned to Akira in a panic. "Wait, why? What are you thinking? You don't intend to do something, do you?"

"Don't worry about it, okay?" Akira commented, taking note of their names. "I'll make sure that it doesn't become an inconvenience to you."

Alarms were going on Sadayo's head as she rushed towards him in desperation. "But what about you!? What's going to happen to you?" Sadayo knocked on his his chest in frustration. "You were warned already weren't you? If you get caught, doing anything of the sort you'll be… you'll be-!"

She couldn't finish her sentence; the thought of him being taken caused her much more pain than she realized.

"You always do this, you always worry about others, but you don't think about what will happen to you! You did it for that woman in your hometown, you did it for your friends at the risk of getting expelled. But WHY?! Why do you plan risking yourself like that for someone like me…?"

Akira wanted to remind her that he had promised to protect her. That he would be fine, and he wouldn't be taken away. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to tell her the truth. But he couldn't get the words out his lips. The look in her eyes completely crushed his heart.

Sadayo could feel her eyes tear up, and in her panic she had said too much. She didn't want Akira to see her like this. This isn't what she wanted! She turned away, wanting to make sure that he couldn't see her face. "I'm sorry. I was just so excited to tell you what I had decided… But it all ended up like this…"

She was so happy to tell him, she wanted him to be proud of her, she wanted to hear him praise and congratulate her, but instead all her promises, all her declarations... were for nothing. She had failed to hold her conviction once more, failed another student again, and she had failed him — that was the final blow.

"Just forget that this ever happened, please." She wanted to look at him, but the thought of his disappointment was too much, and so she averted her eyes to the person she saw at the end of the light, unable to join him on the other side. "You should go, class is about to start."

Akira stretched out his hand to reach her.

"Please! Don't…" Sadayo chastised him, forcing herself to reject his sympathy and comfort. "Just… leave me alone…"

Akira was distraught by her reaction, but simply nodded as he walked towards the door. stopping as Sadayo let another defeated chuckle.

"It's funny… if you think about it, I'm right back where i started… I guess this is where I belong. I'll never be able to change. But thank you, for humoring someone as worthless as me."

Akira didn't have the heart to correct her. By this point his words wouldn't be able to reach her. Giving only a nod he left the room and closed the door behind him.

At the sound of the door finally hitting the frame, Sadayo finally felt more than alone in the room. She tried so hard to keep herself from breaking in front of Akira, but now she was alone it all came spilling out. Her body fell to the floor, coiling up into herself as she embraced herself tightly.

She had thought that she had no other option, that this was the only way. She had been doing so for so long that she had come to accept it and became numb to it. But this time it was different. She realized that there was a different path that she could've chosen, that she could move on. After so many years she had regain her drive to teach and remembered her promise to Taiki. But it was too late. If she had realized it sooner she could had learned and become a great teacher, but she now realizes that the light she had thought so much to be at the end of a tunnel, was actually the light from up above the hole that she had dug herself in, and one she couldn't reach anymore. In failing to learn from her mistake and letting her be played with by the Takases, she ended up digging her own grave, and if she ever would attempt to climb up the muddied walls around her to escaping, then all the Takase would have to do is bury her alive under the weight of her mistakes. There was no escaping, and no one could save her. She knew, but no matter what, she just couldn't stop herself from reaching up, begging for anyone to help her. It was all she could do before she can get dragged deeper into despair.

"Please," Sadayo managed to force out, as streams of tears ran down her cheeks. Sobbing uncontrollably as she covered her mouth to muffle the cries of anguish that she couldn't contain."Someone… anyone… help me… save me… Akira."

"Ms. Kawakami…" Morgana peeked from the gap in the door, feeling heartbroken to see her in this state.

Akira never fully left, standing by the doors entrance as took out his phone and started up the chat app to message the rest of the group. "Mona, I need you to do me a favor. I'll make sure to pay you back for—"

"No need, I'm in this too. What do you need, Joker?!" Morgana was primed and ready to act. which caused Akira to smile at his enthusiasm.

"Thanks, I need you to follow the those assholes, find out where they live. I'm going to go make some preparations."

"Got it, I'll meet with you after classes end at the school entrance." Morgan quickly leaped out of his bag, sprinting off to catch up to his targets.

The pieces where coming into place, and Akira didn't intend to let this sit around. He sent a message to the group.

[A]: Emergency meeting after class end. I'll meet you all at the hideout.

Akira turned to look at the room once more, taking a good look at how much pain the two had caused her, heeding Arsene's words for when he first awakened.

" _ **Hate the enemy in front of you, use your hate to gain power… Then release it!"**_

He quietly closed the door behind him, making sure that she hadn't noticed him eavesdrop. He stalked the school halls with a palpable aura of rage, his eyes glowing a golden yellow and his mouth stretched to a grin that would stop a Shadow cold in its tracks. He paid no mind to anyone that saw him fleeing his path in fear.

"As you wish… my mistress."

* * *

 **As you can see this chapter, despite being so long ended here at all places. But I'm sure you know what that means, Next up we will meet up with the rest of the Phantoms and Akira will be taking the fight to Mementos. I hope you're all excited for the next chapter.**

 **I would like to note that certain aspect of this chapter were inspired by a rendition done by MitarashiXP from Deviantart.**

 **And as always thanks goes to SomebodyLost for their continual help.**


	14. Chapter 13

**These characters don't belong to me, but rather to Atlus. Enjoy the chapter.  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

After classes had ended for the day, Akira stood waiting by the school gates. He kept his hands in his pockets, fiddling with a familiar card as he waited for Morgana's return. He noticed that many of the students and staff kept their distance of him, flinching and backing away if they saw him looking their way. He must have been terrifying if even Ann looked taken aback by him.

Realizing this, he switched his mask to that of Nigi Mitama, a Persona of the Temperance Arcana, hoping its Null-Rage skill that it inherited would help dampen his anger. Luckily, it seemed to work, as he was able to calmly let the others that ran into him by the gates know that he would meet them in the hideout after he did some preparations. Most of them, while confused agreed, Ann was the only one that still seemed to worry. This wasn't surprising since she was the only one that had seen him so soon after his encounter with the Takases at school.

Akira looked at his hand, opening it slowly before clenching it into a fist, feeling a bit more in control. He couldn't help but chuckle at the coincidence of the Persona he was using. He had fused into it so that he would have a Persona that had a number of recovering skills, not to mention some blessed and psychic damage thanks to the treasure demons he fed to it. It made up for the holes in the team's offensive capabilities. He may not have been his strongest persona, but his bonds with Sadayo certainly made it a tough little guy.

'Temperance, huh?' His mind flashed to memories of Sadayo, how her smile warmed his heart, and how happy she was when she asked him to meet with her. Sadly, those memories were ruined as the image of her in tears on the floor flashed in his head, causing him to clench his fist tightly. "Not good… I'm still pissed off."

Suddenly a weight landed on his shoulder; he didn't need to turn to know who it was. "Were you able to follow them?"

"Who do you think you're talking to? Don't underestimate my skills." The cat retorted as he slipped back into his bag. "It was difficult sneaking in and out of the trains, but nothing impossible for the likes of me."

Akira moved from the wall, his eyes glaring menacingly. "Show me."

* * *

Akira now stood in front of a two-story house. The family plate by the gate spelling out _Takase_ was a good sign that he was in the right location. It was in a good {wealthy} neighborhood, looked generally well-kept and secure. He couldn't help but feel angry at how comfortable they seemed to be living.

As he changed more hearts, a part of him would always wonder about the reasons why people did the terrible things that they did, the justifications that they would always bring up as they begged for forgiveness. When he had learned of the Takases, he had wondered about their financial status, and considering from what he heard them say, they seem to be the type to spend frivolously. So to find out that they seemed to own a house, and a nice one at that, while Sadayo was constantly struggling to make ends meet despite how much she worked herself to the bone…

It just poured oil on the fire.

"You sure this is the right place?" Akira figured it would be, but with the risk of another household with the same family name being a possibility, he wanted to make sure.

"Positive!" Morgana affirmed with confidence. "I followed them the whole time 'til they entered this house." He noticed as Akira took out a card from his pocket; the pattern and the insignia at the front made it very obvious about what it was. "Is that a calling card? When did you get that done?"

"I had Yusuke make me a blank template, figured it might come in handy, and if not I could always keep it as a bookmark. I was able to add the message during the final period of class since it ended up becoming a study period." Akira's head lowered, a pained look on his face. "She… didn't even show up."

"Joker..."

"We will save her… even if it's just the two of us, but I rather it not come to that." He held the card to Mona. "Here, place this under their door and ring the doorbell. That should get their attention."

Mona nodded before taking the card and doing as Akira instructed. Voices could be heard from inside, Akira recognized them well enough, as they questioned what kind of prank that card was, though their voices became more concerned as they read the card further. Once that was confirmed Mona went back to Akira's side.

"Whatever you wrote there has them pretty riled up."

"Good, now let's go. The others are probably waiting."

Akira took one last glare back towards the house, staring it down. He raised his hand, gesturing it like he was holding a gun, aiming right at their nameplate. A devilish smirk bloomed on his face; he looked forward for what would to come.

"Prepare yourselves. I'll be stealing Sadayo from your greedy clutches."

* * *

Akira arrived to the hallway that had become the Phantoms' hideout, relieved to see that everyone was present. They all seemed to have preoccupied themselves in their own way. Makoto looked to be busy with a study flip note, probably filled with questions and answers. Ryuji was sitting on the floor as he scrolled at his phone. Yusuke was people-watching and Ann seemed preoccupied with something on her mind as she stared at the window outside.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself for this. He wished that it wasn't necessary, but if he was to get them understand his reasoning, he would have to disclose some of the information concerning Sadayo. He felt guilty, considering how hard it was for her to open up to him about her past, but he knew that this was a selfish request, beyond anything else he'd asked of them previously.

As he let out the air he had taken in he walked towards them. Yusuke was the first to notice him and he gestured to the others. All but Ann waved at Akira. He waved back, making sure to keep a non-murderous smile as he walked to his group and placed himself in the center, leaning forward to rest his arms on the handrail with Morgana coming out of his bag and jumping of.

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today."

"Well we have our exams tomorrow so a meeting like this wasn't exactly something I had planned for," Makoto replied, a bit annoyed, but willing to listen, much to Akira's relief.

"So, what's up? It ain't odd for us to have an emergency meeting, but I do have to agree with Makoto that it's odd for us to do this so close to the exams," Ryuji added, probably much more interested in what he had to say than the exams.

Akira closed his eyes, as his hands clasped together. "I have a target for the Phantoms. It's a couple by the name of Toshio and Hiromi Takase."

"A pair, that is quite odd indeed," Yusuke commented with curiosity.

"It's not the first time we've fought more than one bad guy. We had that gang of burglars that were targeting restaurants after all. What difference does it make?" Ryuji sounded confident, unconcerned by Yusuke's comments.

"I would remind you that while that is true, those additional threats were not our main target which was still one. The fact that it's two means that both will be equally powerful as opposed to one with a number of lackeys," Yusuke reprimanded.

"True as that may be, but why are we targeting them, and why so suddenly?" Makoto was still confused.

"Not only that, but… you've been acting kind of weird lately, Akira," Ann finally spoke up with concern.

"I'm guessing you all agree with that statement?" Akira asked, not having to turn to tell that the group was having a hard time looking at him.

"P-please don't misunderstand," Makoto commented hesitantly. "It's not that we don't trust you. It's just that—"

"We can tell that something's been eating at you," Ryuji finished up Makoto's claim.

"That obvious huh?" Akira lightly said, trying to act like it was no big deal.

"In all due respect, you did a terrible job at hiding it," Yusuke sharply explained.

Akira lowered his head in shame. "Yeah, you got me there."

He wanted to argue that he had done a fine job at hiding his concern, but he couldn't deny the remark Mona had made all those nights ago. When it came to Sadayo, he was much more impulsive, much more careless. A good chunk of it was because he didn't initially fully understood his feelings for her, getting easily swept away in a sea of emotions. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes this time though. He understood all too well what the stakes are, and he was going to make damn sure that things would work out, for Sadayo's sake.

"Won't you tell us what is going on?" Makoto asked, hoping that it wouldn't cause their leader to reject them.

"That's fair, It has to be unanimous after all. I can't expect you all to come along without explaining my reason," Akira sighed, his body slouching a bit. "In truth, the reason for this… is to help Ms. Kawakami."

All but Yusuke and Morgana stared at Akira with shock. None of them expected the name of one of their teachers to come up in Phantom Thief business or for Akira to bring it up unless as a target, especially when one considered his previous remarks about how the school treated him.

"Wait a minute! You're not talking about the nagging master fisherman, are you!? That Kawakami!?" Ryuji spoke out in shock.

"What kind of description of someone is that? And stop yelling," Makoto whispered, scolding Ryuji for his outburst.

"Sorry," Ryuji hastily covered his mouth.

"Why her though? You're calling us all up so suddenly because of her?" Ann protested, the frustration in her voice evident. "What's going on, Akira?"

"Please understand Lady Ann." Morgana jumped on to the handrail to help him meet her at eye level. "I know it's odd but there is a good reason why this is so urgent."

"Wait, you knew about this, too?" Ann glared at Morgana, causing his ears to lower.

"Excuse me," Yusuke interjected as he rose his hand, visibly perplexed by the strong reactions from the rest of the group. "From the look of things, I imagine this person is someone you're all familiar with, is that correct?

"She's one of our teachers at Shujin Academy. More specifically she is Akira and Ann's Homeroom Teacher," Makoto answered, still reeling as she tried to make sense of the situation. "But I feel like we jumped in the middle of things. How did this come up?"

"I've actually been in contact with her outside of the school for a while," Akira began explaining the situation to the group. "The situation is a bit complicated, but the gist of it is that she has been working a number of jobs outside of school because the couple that I mentioned has been extorting her.

"Extorting? You mean like Kaneshiro was doing to the students?" Makoto asked, gaining a bit of anger as she was reminded of the many acts their previous target had committed.

"Something like that..." Akira let out another sigh as he hesitated, but he continued nonetheless. "I ended up running into her during one of those said jobs, after that first encounter we ended up meeting a couple of more times and slowly started talking to one another."

"What kind of jobs are we talking about?" Ann asked hesitantly. As frustrated as she was, a part of her was curious about the kind of situation that had led to both of them talking, especially considering the previous attitudes both of them shared during his early days in Shujin.

Akira shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I promised her that I would keep that a secret. I know it's not fair, but I'm willing to answer any other questions that you have except that one." He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Ann groaned at this, but out of respect to her friend decided not to push the issue. "Fine… but she isn't just using you, or forced you to do anything that you don't want to do, right?

Akira once again smiled at Ann. "Nope, everything I did was my choice. I chose to meet up with her again after that first time. Trust me, she wasn't the happiest when I did, and I admit that part of it was because I knew it'd annoy her. Sort of getting back at her for all the times she lectured me during school."

"Real mature there, Akira," Makoto commented with a disappointed sigh at how petty her leader could be at times.

"I'm sorry, but you should've seen the look at her face when she saw me," Akira couldn't help his grin. "It was like she saw a ghost, not to mention she tried to act like she was a different person, hoping that I wouldn't recognize her." Akira placed his hand on his chin as he reminisced. "Honestly it's hard to tell who's worse at acting, her or Ann."

"T-that last comment wasn't necessary," Ann complained, red with embarrassment.

"Don't worry Ann, I believe your acting skills are quite commendable," Yusuke reassured her without missing a beat.

"That's not that point!"

"Guys, we're getting a bit side tracked here," Makoto interrupted the two's argument before it went further.

"Sorry. Anyway, the reason for this is because of some bad stuff that happened to her in a previous school, in which she was asked to convince another student named Taiki Takase to leaves cause he wasn't doing well at so school, usually missing a bunch of classes."

"Not surprising, considering how many bastards we've seen that are willing to hide any ugliness that would tarnish their pristine records," Ryuji growled in frustration.

"So wait, did the relatives decide to extort Ms. Kawakami because of that?" Ann asked, wondering why that would allow them to have such a grip on her.

Akira let out a sad chuckle. He knew that the group's views on her weren't exactly the best overall, but it pained him to hear Ann speak of her in that light. "Actually, she tried to help him. Yeah she was originally going to do as her bosses told her, but when she talked to Takase she learned about his situation. About his multiple jobs, and how it prevented him from attending classes, even though he wished he could. He did want to improve, he just wasn't given the chance to, so she decided to be that chance and started tutoring him and helping him after class."

He surveyed his Shujin schoolmates with smile. Ryuji, Ann and Makoto all looked surprised by their teacher's forwardness. "Shocking isn't it, considering how she acts at school? But sadly the reason why she is the way she is now is related to what happened next." Akira's face fell serious as he continued. "The school wasn't happy that she had gone on her own and helped him instead of having him leave, so they threatened her with firing her if she didn't stop tutoring him."

He let out a smirk, but it was one of indignation and frustration than actual amusement. "He was actually improving too, if those pricks on top would had just let her do her job and continue to help him, he would had probably done more than well to satisfy their lofty standards and then there wouldn't be any problems. But no, they would rather take the easy route of cutting anyone that needs help and keep the ones that already excelled and don't take any time or effort on their part." Akira gripped the railing tightly. "She was forced to see that reality when all her effort was treated as a nuisance and forced to do something she despised doing, just so she could still continue as a teacher. That was bad enough on it's own, but then fate decided to play a cruel joke on her, because on the same night that she told him that she wouldn't be able to tutor him, he died from a car crash on his way to one of his jobs."

"That's horrible..." Makoto covered her mouth in horror. "But wait, don't tell me she—"

"Yep," Akira quickly answered, knowing full well what Makoto was going to ask him. "She blames herself for his death. She still does even today, and it's all because of those… bastard relatives of his." He had to look away to hide his murderous grin. "They accused her for his death, blaming it on her tutoring tiring him out too much. They threatened to sue her, take things to the board of education, to the media. I'm sure you can find out from your sister about how well she would had done in court, especially in the state she was. I can tell you from my experience though, that there's very little hope. It's a very soul-crushing experience. And you know what's the worst of it all, it was their fault that he had to do all those jobs. If anything they're to blame for his situation, and yet they had the galls to accuse her because she actually tried to help and could tell that his death affected her greatly."

"But that wasn't her fault," Ann chimed in, though hesitantly. "I mean, it still sucks that she stopped helping him, but why would she believe that?"

"You said it yourself didn't you? When Shiho fell, you felt like it was your fault for not helping her, that you had failed her as a friend. Now imagine that from her perspective, I know it may be odd considering how she acts now, but she really does want to become a good teacher. So when she was made to abandon her student like that, it shattered her confidence as a teacher, and his death destroyed her views of herself as a person. The only thing that remained was her motivation to continue teaching."

"Some motivation that is..." Ann couldn't help her snide remark.

"Ann..." Akira's voice was pleading, but understanding. "You have to understand that this happened years ago, before she even started working at Shujin. That motivation has been chipped and broken slowly over time, and the Takases took advantage of that guilt and made her believe that the only way to make amends was to pay them money as an apology." Akira's fist began to clench instinctively, the anger in his voice slowly becoming apparent again. "Not once or twice, but weekly payments, payments that continue to go up even now, all the while drilling it into her head that it was her fault, that this is the only way, to make her feel like she's garbage, like she's worthless, that—" Akira caught himself. He only noticed that his anger got the best of him when he saw that the rest of the group was staring at him in utter shock. "Sorry…"

"Dude… what the heck. I've never seen you so pissed," Ryuji's mouth hung open, flabbergasted by Akira's reaction.

"Yeah. Part of it is because it hits a bit close to home," Akira rubbed the back of his head for a sheepish demeanor, but the group wasn't buying it. "She tried to show kindness to someone in need, and the world returned that kindness by spitting at her face and stomping it down to make sure she didn't even think about doing it again. I guess I can understand her because I could honestly see myself having gone that same path."

There was a surprising amount of hurt that the group hadn't seen from him before. Even when he had told them about his situation, he never really talked about how it had affected him, so they listened intently, not wanting to interrupt his train of thought.

"If I hadn't stumbled into the metaverse," he continued, "if I hadn't met Ryuji and Mona, if I hadn't awakened to my powers... I probably would've kept my head down and just focused on finishing my parole. I would've given up a long time ago and would've been gone through the motions, not caring about those around me as the world went to shit."

"Joker..." Mona spoke up, surprised at what Akira was bringing up, but touched that he included him as a positive factor, even if it meant being put alongside Ryuji. It made sense though.

Ryuji and Ann on the other hand were silent, but understood the weight of Akira's statement. They both remembered how Isolated Akira was at the beginning. How apprehensive he was with Ryuji at first about getting involved with Kamoshida, not wanting to put himself at risk. How disinterested he was when Ann first confronted him or when he sat behind her at first, his eyes distant and uncaring. Both had to admit that at times they themselves wondered what would have happened to either of them if things had been different and hadn't met Akira, or been introduced to that world.

Akira had to rely on his equipped Persona to calm once more as he ran his hand over his hair. "I saw her condition get worse and I started to fear that history might be repeating itself. That she might suffer the same fate Taiki did… And that fear became very real last Saturday, when I found out that she had collapsed in front of the station and had been hospitalized."

All but Morgana were shocked to hear about this turn of events. Then the Shujin students remembered back to how she looked that day, and none could deny that it wasn't surprising that she collapsed.

"Saturday, like this weekend." A thought crossed Ann's head as Akira mentioned her hospitalization. "Wait, then those cranes you were making on Sunday—"

"Yeah, they were for Ms. Kawakami," Akira smiled at Ann, not surprised that she figured it out. "Sorry about not explaining things back then. I had gone to visit her that night, and that's when I had the displeasure of meeting those so-called guardians. They were beyond scum, the way the toyed with Sadayo's guilt, how they belittled her and made her feel insignificant." Akira let out a shameful laugh. "I hate to admit it, but I almost lost it in front of them. I probably would've done something really stupid if she hadn't stopped me then."

' _Sadayo?'_ Ann couldn't help but take not at Akira mentioning their teacher by first name. From the looks of it he himself hadn't even realized it. ' _Are they really that close?'_

Makoto seemed to had noticed that little slip up, her eyes narrowing in thought, but there were still other questions on her mind, and the situation did seem dire, considering his supposed outburst. So she pushed that subject to the side for now, focusing on the matter at hand. "But if that's true then why bring this up now? Why didn't you mention anything that Sunday?"

"Like I said, a lot happened these past few days. But it didn't end there. **They** showed up at school. began to blackmail her again, blackmail her with information about a dumb mistake she made because of their constant pressuring.

He finally stepped back from the railing so that he could be face the whole group. All were at a lost for words.

Akira proceeded to bow. "I had managed to get their names while she was in shock. I tried to help her break from those chains of theirs', but they just replaced them with a much crueler one. If breaking her chain won't work, then I want to strike at the hands that hold her captive. I know this is a selfish request of me, and that it's sudden. I know a number of you have your misgivings about her, but please, will you help me save her?"

"Very well, I see no problem with targeting these wreched adults," Yusuke spoke up without a second thought. He didn't show any of the confusion that the rest of the group had, instead showing interest. "Let us beat that rubbish mentality of theirs into submission."

"He has a point," Makoto gave out a shrug, deciding not to think too much on she had learned from Akira for now. A fire started to burn in her eyes as she pumped herself up. "What those two have done is inexcusable, and we will take them down."

"It's annoying how much she nags at me, but there's no way she deserves what she's been through. That's just messed up." Ryuji responded, more serious than normal, though it only lasted a moment before he sported his usual grin, giving Akira a thumbs up. "Besides, it's not like we didn't have our own selfish targets, so don't worry about that, buddy. We're here for you, Akira."

Ann remained silent, her hand busy scrunching her hair as she looked away.

"Ann..." Akira lifted his head, worried about what she would say, but before he could put another case for helping Sadayo, Ann just let out a load groan.

"I don't like it. I know you've been honest with us, and I get that she's been through a lot of pain and felt lost, but I just can't get over my frustration with her and the other teachers for not noticing what was going on, for not helping Shiho when she needed someone." Ann shook her head and pumped her fist. "Still, what that couple is doing to her is beyond horrible,. We can't just leave it alone, especially after we now know what happened. So let's go."

"Thank you..."

"No need to be so formal man," Ryuji patted Akira on the shoulder as he walked by. It's not like I was going to be doing any studying anyway."

Yusuke followed him, giving Akira a nod as he passed by.

Ann walked next, doing her best to smile for Akira, but unable to her hide her hesitation with the whole thing.

Akira expected Makoto to follow through but instead she remained at her spot by the handrail,

"Before we go, would you mind if I ask you something?" Makoto's tone didn't attempt to hide her concern.

Akira stepped close to her, leaning back down on the rail next to her. is arms dangled on them as they both faced forward to the city from behind the window. "Sure, what is it?"

Makoto looked towards Morgana this time. "Hey Mona, is it okay if it's just the two of us?"

Morgana was confused, but he respected Queen's judgment, so he joined the others. "Very well, I'll be waiting with the others in Mementos."

She waited until Morgana was out of sight before turning to Akira. "This won't take long, but I just wanted to ask if you're still okay being our leader for this mission."

"What? Want to give being leader of the Phantom Thieves a shot?" Akira asked, playfully hiding his shock.

"No! Nothing like that." Makoto took a step back, before sighing. "It's just that, this is the most upset I've seen you, and I just want to make sure that you're going to be okay." Makoto leaned on the rail next to Akira, not looking at him directly. "I know how liberating it can be to let that pent up frustration blow in one big explosion. Just riding that wave of emotion is exhilarating, but I must admit that a part of me is worried that you might do something you'd regret. Sorry, I know it sounds like I don't have any trust in you but—"

"It's okay, you're just worried about me," Akira interrupted. "Thanks, but I should be fine. I can't promise that I won't take my frustration on them, but I won't cross the line. And besides, I have all of you with me. I know I can trust you to be there for me if I ever get lost."

"Well you've been there for us… it's only fair that we do the same." Makoto turned, but then stopped as she was reminded of something. "Oh, and about Ann — she may be upset because of all this just dropping out of nowhere, but I don't think she really blames Ms. Kawakami. I mean, she forgave me after all."

"I know, but I also understand her frustration, considering I was just as upset as she was at the other staff at the time. Thanks though."

"No problem. Now, let's get to work. If we do this fast enough I might get some last minute study before I crash on my bed."

* * *

Skull, Panther, Mona and Fox went ahead into the entranced of Mementos. As they waited, Fox studied his fellow human teammates, questions filling his thoughts. "Skull, Panther. If I may have a moment of your time?"

They both turned towards him in confusion, but there wasn't much they could do until their remaining two members joined.

"Sure, what's up?" Skull asked, wondering what kind of bizarre question their eccentric artist had in mind.

"If you wouldn't mind, I would like to know more about this Ms. Kawakami you all talked about?"

"What do you mean?" Panther followed, unsure of what Fox's intentions are.

"All of you go to the same school, not to mention you all seem well acquainted with her in some way or another. I'm simply curious about this person who seemed to have garnered such a strong reaction from both our leader and the rest of you."

"There's honestly not much to say really. Like Queen said, it's mainly 'cause she's Joker and Panther's homeroom teacher. She always complained and nagged at him because he was put in her class, I was usually right there next to him since she nagged on me just as much." Skull proceeds to point his thumb over his shoulder at Panther who was right behind him. "Panther is almost always with him during classes, so she's also seen a number of times when she kept telling him to behave even though he hadn't done anything." Skull scratched the back of his head, remembering the first day that he and Joker met, the way she looked at him when he went to meet with the person who would soon become his best friend. "I mean she even told him not to go anywhere near me which he wasn't a huge fan of hearing. So to hear him defend her and talk about her like he did was kinda shocking."

"Strange that you say all of this, but you don't seem as frustrated with it as you usually are."

"Well yeah. I mean, for as many times as she gets on my case about my hair and behavior, she's still the least aggressive out of all the teachers." Skull shrugged, unsure how to explain it. "I think it's 'cause she's easy to talk to. One time me and Akira ended up running into her when we tried fishing and we were able to talk fine with her. Yeah, she kept complaining and sounding frustrated, but I never got that 'I'm better than you' vibe that I got from the other teachers. Plus, to be fair, a lot of her nagging at Akira slowed down after Kamoshida confessed." He paused "Though most of 'em did. Probably felt like shit for always telling him to behave when that kind of stuff was happening from right behind their noses."

"That's… under their noses Skull." Panther corrected him before turning to Fox. "But he's right, Ms. Kawakami seemed to have slowed down on lecturing Joker after that happened, and it actually even stopped for the most part after Madarame."

"Do you think that it was because he found out about her job?" Fox inquired.

"Maybe…?" Panther's thoughts went to what Akira had said, about how they talked and spent time together. She was then reminded of those instances that surprised her. How understanding she seemed about Akira falling asleep on her class when previously she would've been much more harsher on him, or how she yelled at those students. "Hey, Mona. Does she know… about what had happened to Joker?"

"Yeah, she asked him about it once and was horrified to find out the truth. It made her feel awful for the way she had treated him."

"So she did know then..." Panther spoke to herself, leaving her male companions to look at each other in confusion.

"What do you mean Panther?" Skull asked, wondering why her knowing about Joker's past mattered.

Panther lowered her head, as a realization came to her. "Last week I was heading down the stairs, I heard a loud bunch of students talking. They were making fun of Joker, calling him garbage and how much they would love to see him be targeted by the Phantom Thieves. It was so frustrating that I was going to storm in there and tell them a piece of my mind. But before I could I heard a loud slam from the door. Turned out Ms. Kawakami had heard them talking too and began scolding them for talking about others like they know them and to keep such comments to themselves. At first I wasn't sure if she actually meant to defend Akira, or if she was just annoyed at them for spreading rumors because it meant more work for her. Apparently some of those students said that she had been doing that a lot as of late." She looked towards her friends. "Maybe it was because she knew what really had happened to him? Maybe she really is trying..."

"Panther..." Mona placed his hand on Panther's boots, trying his best to show a gesture of comfort, but unable to do much because of his height.

"If there is a chance that she actually could change, that things at school could become better for others, then we definitely need to try it." Panther spoke up, finding her motivation and pumping herself up. The rest just smiled and nodded, and as they turned they saw Joker and Queen joining in.

"Everyone ready?" Joker asked the rest of the group. All of them gave their nods of approval. He sported his signature grin as he took out his knife, twirling it in his hand as he took the lead.

"Okay, it's showtime."

* * *

The van went through the vortex that signified a distorted individual, having become aware that they would soon be the target. Much to Joker's surprise both guardians were in the same vortex as opposed to them being separate. Maybe an effect of both their names being on the same card? They got out as the van transformed back into their furry navigator. The front line was composed of Joker, Skull, Panther and Queen. The Shujin students stepped forward together for their teacher.

"I'm guessing those are the targets. The one blackmailing Ms. Kawakami because of what happened?" Queen asked.

Joker confirmed it with a simple nod.

"Those two look pretty sure of themselves. Real smug lookin'." Ryuji commented. They hadn't even spoke yet and he already felt like punching their faces in.

"But if what Joker said is true, it's not her fault." Panther added.

"We'll stop them..." Joker spoke up, his voice shifting deeper, menacing. He turned back toward Fox and Mona. He gave a nod and made a gesture with his hand, raising his index and middle finger up and then moving them down to point forward. He was reminding them of the tactic they had discussed on their way here, one that he had come up while he played with Hifumi Togo, a famous Shogi player that he ran into at a church in Kanda. It would be the first time that it would come into practice so he wanted to make sure they remembered it.

Fox and Mona both nodded before leaping back to find cover, awaiting for his command. With that he looked at the rest and nodded as they walked forward to face their targets.

As they got closer they could start hearing them babbling to themselves. Many of Mementos Shadows did this, voicing out their twisted thoughts and desires, proclaiming them with such confidence. Joker tended to find these attempts at self-worth pitiful and rarely paid them any mind, but this was different. When he made out what the man was saying, his anger rose up quickly.

"MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! Hurry and pay us your money! It's your 'responsibility'!" the middle-aged man cried out with glee, his twisted grin open for all to see.

"Clothes, handbags, makeup… there are so many things that I want! So give us your money!" the woman proclaimed like all is owed to her, acting out that stupidly stereotypical laugh many rich women tend to do.

"Are you for real? What it's up with these two." Skull growled.

"They really don't care about their kid, do they?" Panther was saddened, imagining how bad their adopted son must have been treated.

Joker didn't say anything. He just kept striding forward, his hands placed in his pockets, a dead serious look on his face. The couple eventually noticed him approach them.

"Hm? Who are you, I feel like I've seen some of you when we went to Shujin, are you Kawakami's students…? What, did you come to bring us the money in her stead?"

"Joker?" Queen called out, concerned. He'd never gotten so close to a Shadow before a fight, usually sticking with the group, but he didn't reply and kept coming closer to the targets.

The man took a good look at Joker, his grin twisting to annoyance. "Hey, aren't you that brat that was with her in the hospital? That incompetent teacher is so worthless! Collapsing like that when we needed our payments. She should be grateful that we allowed her to continue on, going as a source of our in — gugh!"

Before the man could finish he was stopped by Joker's fist hitting him square in the face, causing the man to topple back and fall on his ass.

"Sorry… " Joker spoke in a disingenuous tone. "I've been wanting to do that to you for a while now." It was said with little fanfare or anger, just indifference in his tone as he shook his hand.

"You little..." the man growled, his yellow eyes glowing with anger as he grabbed his swollen cheek.

"Shut up! You have no right to speak about her like that! You don't know anything about her, what she went through because of you. Don't you dare call her worthless!"

Panther already knew Joker was angry, but the sheer venom made her step back. It reminded her again of when Ms. Kawakami confronted those mouthy students, telling them off for talking about Akira as they did.

"You shut up!" the middle age man staggered back. "Kawakami got in my way! I was going to use what happened to my son to get back at people!"

"I couldn't care less for your reasons."Joker simply gestured with his hand to come closer, wielding his knife at the ready. "Now get up, I'm not even close to being done with you."

The Shadows' rage was at their peak, and blood started to seep from their orifices. "I'm not gonna lose… I won't lose to an elitist like you!"

The thick, blood-like substance poured out in earnest; in seconds they were completely covered and melted into a pool, only for two beings to come bursting out. They both seemed to be dressed like royalty, the man wearing what looks like a prince's outfit with a saber and butterfly wings. His expression was similar to that of his human counterpart, sporting a wicked grin. The woman sported a green dress with gold patterns at the bottom, her wings was more dragonfly-like and she has a mischievous smirk than what the real one would normally have, along with long, flowing golden hair. Toshio and Hiromi Takase, youthfully and monstrously represented by the fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania.

"I never liked your attitude, ever since we saw you in the hospital." The man threatened him, pointing his saber at him.

"Why don't we take them out, my dear. Imagine how devastated she'd be if this one ended up dying on her, too."

Joker darkly grinned once more, challenging them on their threats. "Sorry, but I'm not planning on dying any time soon." He quickly struck the saber with his knife and lunged forward. "Let's do this!"

The rest of the group rushed forward, Queen signaled Panther to come with her as Skull went to back up his pal. Joker and Oberon parried each other's strikes and retaliated in full. Oberon may have the longer reach and the mobility of flight, but Joker was much more nimble and experienced with fighting. As they clashed their blades and tried to push the other back, Skull came from above and swung his pipe, causing their opponent to back away. Now having two opponents, the Oberon was having a hard time keeping up. The combination of Skull's wild but fierce swings and Joker's quick and precise slashes made it difficult to get a bead on them.

After their many coordinated and repeated swings, Skull took another leap. He swung his pipe from above with great force. The Oberon held his saber up to block, managing to hold the pipe back. Looking upwards toward his assailant, he noticed Skull smirking. At that point he realized that he had made a fatal error as Joker emerged from below, hand stretched forward as his mask vanished.

"Nigi Mitama, Psion!" A drop-shaped being formed behind Joker. The Persona smiled happily as Joker extended his hand forward, forming a purple orb with black stripes. The orb seemed unstable as if ready to burst, and When it made contact with Oberon, it burst in an explosion of distorted colors, painfully launching him high in the air.

"We got a weakness, Skull!" Joker crowed at the still in mid-air Skull, who nodded his way.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Skull extended his hand towards him.

Joker leaped up in the air and raised his own hand. Their hands impacted with a loud clap that echoed in the chamber. With a heave, Joker launched him towards the still falling Shadow like a missile.

Skull swung his pipe and struck true; the Oberon smacked to the ground. Skull reached for his face, his mask which was already burning. It disappeared as a large ape riding a collared nimbus cloud with a bo staff and spiked helmet and shades appeared before him.

"Tear him apart, Seiten Taisei! Swift Strike!"

His Persona braced the bo staff and lunged to hit his target. Rapid blows pelted the Oberon from all over and caused a strong impact on the ground. A huge dust cloud formed as Skull jumped next to Joker, both grinning at one another. They bumped fists before charging forward for the finishing blow.

In the other side of the room, Queen and Panther were fighting the Titania. Panther's Hecate sent her chained dogs after her trying to pelt her down with a barrage of Agilaos, but to no avail. The Shadows had cast Sukukaja on before they had reached her and her mobility and speed were becoming annoying to the Thieves. Panther groaned as her attacks missed, but her chains continued to keep chase as she turned to her partner.

"Queen!"

"Leave it to me!"

Queen didn't need help to know what Panther was going to ask, as she proceeded to leap to Hecate's extending chains to come closer to the ever elusive fairy. She kept leaping on them with a strong ferocity, landing on one of the hounds' head and launching a punch. The Shadow managed to dodge but as she tried to regain some distance Panther shot another barrage of flames, cutting her exit. This was the opportunity Queen needed as she grabbed hold of the green dress' collar.

"DODGE! THIS!"

Queen used all her strength and she flipped the Shadow over her shoulder to throw her down to the pavement. The Shadow smiled with confidence and spread her wings to slow her descent, but Queen took out her revolver and shot them clean, causing Titania to shrill in pain before crashing down. Queen landed nearby and rushed to the grunting Titania before pinning her down.

"Now Panther!"

"Got it! Let's go Hecate—"

"EVERYONE DOWN!"

Just as Joker shouted this a large heat wave attack cut in from the dust where Oberon had fallen, barely missing everyone. Oberon took advantage of the commotion and quickly flew past Joker, Skull and Panther and struck at Queen. She was able to dodge out of the way, but it meant her losing her grip on Titania.

She jumped up to the air to join Oberon, and proceeded to cast Diarama to heal her husband for most of his wounds. Oberon let out a wicked grin as he raised his saber up above, casting Mazionga.

A large lightning storm crackled from above, before finally falling and thundering all over the room. The dust settled, and Queen was the first to recover.

"Is everyone all right?!" Queen called out as she looked around for the others. Her eyes widened when she noticed Joker down on the ground, covering a nasty wound on his side. "Oh no! Joker!"

Joker gritted his teeth, pressing his hand against the wound as he tried to stand up. Oberon flew in front of him, flashing a smug look his way as he puffed victoriously. He raised his saber to strike the finishing blow, but Joker's eyes never wavered or showed fear as he stared death down.

Suddenly, a figure leaped from the shadows and blocked the blade.

"It's going to take a weak ass static shock to get me!" Skull proclaimed behind his pipe. The standoff was causing a sharp pain on his bad leg, but he stood his ground.

At that moment Joker saw an opportunity; he raised his index and middle finger up and moved them down to point forward, the hand gesture he had done before the battle. Suddenly, Oberon was pelted with a barrage of bullets and pellets; Fox and Mona has began their assault and cover fire, just as he had hoped for.

Skulls knelt by his buddy after being given a breather when the Shadow pulled back. "Phew, that was a close one."

Titania began flying towards them, causing both to panic before chained hounds came to their aid, causing her to back away. Panther leaped forward and began chasing her down again with Hecate.

"Johanna, Median!"

With sighs of relief, both Joker and Skull felt their wounds recover. They got up to see Queen right behind them riding her bike of a Persona.

"Targeting them individually isn't working, we need to take them both out."

Joker looked on as the hail of bullets kept Oberon at bay while Panther kept Titania busy, noticing how desperate the Shadow was to dodge his teammate's attacks. "I think I have an idea. Queen, I'm going to need you to keep Titania distracted. Skull, do the same with Oberon"

"Got it!" They both yelled out, and Skull ran after Oberon while Queen revved her engine and went after Titania.

Meanwhile, Fox and Mona ran out of ammunition. They nodded at each other and vanished into the shadows, deciding to find a new place for cover in case they were needed again.

Joker got himself ready, then began running, shooting Titania with his pistol to draw her attention, luring her with each shot as Queen provided supporting fire as she drove around on her Johanna. His eyes flashed when he saw an opportunity; he used the debris to jump above Titania, reaching his hand up.

"Nigi Mitama, Psio!"

With the dark and purple energy now in hand he lunged towards Titania, but she saw him coming and she easily dodged, smirking at the look of shock on Joker's face as he passed by her. But as she followed his trajectory she saw his frown morph into a grin. The Shadow opened her mouth to shout a warning, but it was too late.

The energy orb painfully hit the unsuspecting Oberon from behind his head. Joker rode the momentum to knock the Shadow down and propel himself forward, taking the time to show off as he spun in the air with his arms held outward. On the corner of his eye, he saw a figure rushing to meet him. Joker spared a smirk at the figure and landed on his feet, sliding backwards to disperse the rest of the momentum. Still riding the force, he threw an arm back and smacked his palm with a pink glove. The loud, reverberating clap echoed through the chamber, and by the time the Shadows registered what it meant, Joker was already charging towards the downed Oberon. The tail of Joker's cloak flowed in his speed. Titania rushed in to block the hit, but as soon as she was directly in front of him, Joker simply grinned.

"You're mine now!"

"Hecate! Agilao!"

Joker jumped upwards into the air, revealing the dogs of hell as they charged in flames towards Titania. They scored a direct hit on her and she flew towards Oberon, launching them against the wall.

The chains recoiled back towards Hecate who vanished as Panther cracked her whip.

"Now's our chance! Let's do this!"

And with blinding speed the four Thieves unleashed rains of blows towards their falling foes. Both burst out blood as they crashed to the ground; their forms shattered to reveal what was left of their human shapes, beaten down.

Panther and Skull high-fived each other in victory as Queen sighed in relief. Fox and Mona joined the group. The celebrations were cut short when they all saw Joker standing silently in front of the two.

"You're just like the rest, aren't you?!" the man shouted out at Joker. "You're looking down on me, too? Deep down inside, you're laughing at me, aren't you…?"

Joker quietly clenched his hand tightly.

"Name brands… Esthetic appointments..." The woman desperately called out. "Without them, people will laugh..."

"Laugh… what's there to laugh at?" Joker finally spoke, his frustration seeping in every word.

"You know why… We're terrible human beings." The man admitted to himself.

"Not like our son, Taiki, or his real parents. They were different. They were elites, the crème of the crop. They always looked down on us..." The woman spoke in frustration, her envy at their relatives obvious.

"That's why we let our son experience what it's like to be forced to grovel!"

"It felt nice to see him gradually break down from working so much..." The woman spoke with such joy, sickening the group.

"That is just messed UP!" Skull yelled out in anger.

"Is that how they truly felt about him? That's horrible!" Panther spoke in disbelief.

Joker, though, fell silent again.

"But now that I think about it, we might have been wrong. I'm not so sure now if his birth parents really looked down on us."

"What."

Joker's voice was low but heavy. His eyes narrowed as a swirl of chains started to form around him.

"We became so obsessed with money, that I forgot how happy we were just being together," the woman explained, finally sounding remorseful in her actions.

These words fell on deaf ears though, as all Akira could see was red. Red as the room they were in, red as the gloves in his hands, red as his personal Persona. His mask dispersed in blue flames as Arsene manifested behind him, grinning malevolently down at the couple.

"What did you say…?"

Arsene lunged to grab both Shadows by their throats, slamming them to the wall behind them. Both tried in vain to escape his grasp.

"You mean to tell me that you ruined that kid's life. That you **forced** him to work himself to death. That you proceeded to do the same to the **one person** that showed him any sort of kindness and drained her of everything she had both physically and emotionally. Because you **THOUGHT!?** " Akira's clenched fists shook as Arsene squeezed tighter.

"Akira..." Panther could only whisper. The group as a whole could only stare in shock at this development, feeling a cold chill skitter down their spines.

"If there is anyone of _**zero**_ worth here is you _**two**_. You're **beyond** terrible." Akira took a step forward, his fury fueling the blue flames.

" _ **The world might be better off if you both disappeared..."**_

In contrast, Joker's voice was cold and distorted, causing everyone in the room to choke from the sudden heavy pressure in the air.

"Joker, wait!" Makoto started running towards him, hoping to stop him from making a terrible decision. But Akira rose a hand towards her, signaling her to halt, which she did instinctively. Something told her it was unwise to get closer.

Joker looked towards her, towards the others. He never knew he could be this pissed off, so full of rage that he could hardly believe it, but he was still possessed of enough of his mind to not to fall off the edge. "I want to, but I can't." He looked back towards the whimpering Shadows.

"You're no good to me dead."

With those words Arsene vanished, causing the couple to ungracefully fall down to the ground. They grabbed their throats and coughed uncontrollably, catching their breath. They flinched when Joker approached them.

Joker stood over them, his eyes piercing their souls. "So this is what is going to happen. You're going to go and beg her for forgiveness, _**grovel**_ if you have to since you seem to be so fond of having others do the same. Then you're going to pay her back for _**every yen**_ you took from her. I don't care how long it takes you. _**Got it?**_ "

The Shadows simply nodded in fear, still sore from the choking.

"Good." He walked a few paces away before turning back to them. "Now that we got that settled, I think it's time for your punishment."

"What—" The man tried to protest in a hoarse voice, before going into a coughing fit. "But what about—"

"That is you making up for all that you did to her for all these years. But did you forget about what I told you? That if you even thought of harming a hair on her head that I would make you regret it?"

"Joker, what exactly do you have in mind?" Queen asked with apprehension. "They already lost and have no desire to fight. There is no reason to keep hurting them."

"Don't worry, It's nothing like that." Joker reassured Queen with the usual smirk that the rest of the group are so used to. "I just figured that since this is our only target for today, we should make it worth our while."

Joker turned back to the couple, raising his hand showing the hand sign for money. "I think I'm going to need you to show remorse for what you did to her… In a material and undeniable way.

Flames erupted again around Akira as he placed his hand over his face. His cruel grin displayed his vindictive amusement at the shock of the Shadows.

"Come, Sandman. Tetrafoo."

* * *

After that encounter with the Takases Sadayo had lost any will to do anything at the school. Once she had cried herself to the point where she was dry on tears, she got up and went to the teachers lounge, grabbing her things before excusing herself for the day. She was surprised at how hesitant they were to ask her why, but after seeing how much of a mess she was from her reflection from the train's window, she figured that they probably thought that she had found out some terrible news and didn't want to intrude. Sadly, she didn't have any jobs this afternoon, having started the process of cutting down on them since she thought they weren't needed, so all she could do was wait until nightfall before she can call Victoria once more about the other offer.

She hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights in her home, proceeding to discard everything on the floor and just curl up at her couch. Her hands still shook with frustration as she hid her head in shame.

"It's not fair… It's not fair!" Sadayo hand slowly went towards her hair, pulling it angrily. "Why was I such an idiot?! Why did I let those two manipulate me like that?! Because of that I… Because of that he..."

She hated herself for how much of a hypocrite she was. How quickly she backed down to their threats when she had promised him that she wouldn't waver. How after telling him how much she hated the Phantom Thieves, she contemplated asking them for their help just for a chance of being saved. How despite pushing Akira away for fear of how he would end up if he risked himself, she still wished for him to save her.

Even if she did go to the sister job, considering how little time she had left there was no way should could make enough money with everything else. She might have to stop coming to school and start picking up daytime requests, take from her living expenses, find a new place to live. Sadayo had worked so hard to keep her home, all the memories that she had made here.

The words of motivation that her father had given her as they said their goodbyes after helping her move, hugging her with tears on his eyes, the small celebration she had with her mother when she came to visit after she got hired as a teacher for the first time, the afternoons which Taiki would visit her as she tutored him, seeing him beaming with joy as he saw his efforts begin to pay off.

And now she would have to throw all of those away.

Just as the tears were becoming to form once more a loud banging came from her door, accompanied with loud yelling.

"Kawakami, Kawakami are you in there!?"

It had admittedly caused her to jump out of her couch, taking her awhile to realize who the voices belonged to.

"Mr. and Mrs. Takase?"

She didn't want to see them again, but Sadayo wiped her face with the cuffs of her sleeves and got up to check through the peephole on the door. Behind it were a surprisingly mortified Toshio and Hiromi Takase. Their loud shouts made Sadayo more worry than ever that they would start drawing too much attention so she opened the door.

"W-what's going on here? And not so loud, you'll bother that neighbors!" she whispered to them.

"Kawakami, we are so sorry for what we did. Please, could you ever forgive us for what we did?" the usually agitated man pleaded, with tears in his eyes. He fell to his knees, and Sadayo felt embarrassment flood her emotions.

"What are you doing?! Just… come in and we can talk." She looked at either side of the hall, before asking them to come in quietly, not wanting them to make a scene in public. They both came in and immediately bowed on the ground as soon as the door was closed. "Seriously, what has gotten into you two?"

"What we did to you and Taiki as his guardians was unbecoming of us, Ms. Kawakami," the woman sobbed, sounding devastated, and wracked with guilt. "We know how much you cared for Taiki, and how much you tried to help him, but we still put all the blame and accused you of not caring about him, even though we both knew how much he adored you and how great of a teacher you were to him."

Sadayo was at a lost of words. She had no idea what was going on, or why they were being so worried and apologetic now when just a few hours ago they were threatening her with blackmail. Though she had to admit that she blushed at hearing her say that she was a great teacher, something she hadn't heard anyone but Akira tell her in so long. She wasn't sure if she should be happy that they of all people were telling her this, considering how long they'd been telling her the opposite, or if she should be wary of their sudden changes in character.

"Um, well... thank you…?"

Mrs. Takase rose her head, as she wipe away her tears with a handkerchief. "But how did we return that kindness? We treated you so horribly and mocked you for so long, making you pay us and constantly beg for forgiveness when you did nothing wrong." She blew her nose. "I never realized how terrible it must have been for you, that we pushed you so hard that you had to sell your body just to pay us."

"I-I did no such thing!" Sadayo immediately refuted, her face turning red as a tomato.

"Oh thank god, that's such a relief," the man felt slightly more relaxed, but still keeping his head down. "Still, we wronged you for so long, and for that we deeply apologize. We promise to return you everything you paid us, even if it kills us to do so."

"Waitwaitwait!" Sadayo threw her hands up at his last statement. "I mean… I wouldn't mind you paying me back, but please don't kill yourself for it." Sadayo looked at them both awkwardly, scratching her cheek with her index finger. "Just, you know, do it when you can." She couldn't deny that the concept of her getting back the money that she had earned was beyond enticing. It would really help her out with things, especially when she considered for how long she had been paying them. But still, she had no intention of putting them through the same situation as she and Taiki had. It would leave a bad taste in her mouth if she became what had ruled over her for so long.

The two looked at her in awe before they started bawling once more.

"You really are too kind, Ms. Kawakami!" the man blurted out.

"We are so sorry!" Mrs. Takase wailed.

It took some time for both to stop crying as Sadayo tried her best to calm them down. Eventually things quieted down, and with tears still in their eyes, but much more composed looks, they bowed to her and bid her farewell.

As Sadayo closed the door, she let out a tired sigh, "What was up with that? It was so awkward to see them bawling their eyes out and begging that I just couldn't get mad at them. Well, at least it means I won't have to pay them—"

Sadayo's eyes widened. She was so preoccupied with how odd everything was that she didn't even realize what this all meant. Now though, it was all coming together.

"I… don't have to pay them anymore? I'm free…?" Tears starting forming in Sadayo's eyes, but these weren't the same as the ones earlier, these were tears of joy. She began to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. "It's actually over. I-It's a miracle!"

She giggled uncontrollably before leaping with joy. "I can't believe it, is it really over…? I… I need to tell him!" she rushed and grabbed her phone, messaging him as she went and searched for her maid outfit, hoping to get a call soon.

[S]: Master! Are you free right now?

…

* * *

Akira slowly entered the empty Leblanc, his body was still aching all over from the fight, making going upstairs a chore. It was a good thing that most injuries that they received in Metaverse didn't linger once they left that world if proper healing was administered, leaving only small cuts and bruises. But sadly the phantom pains of such wounds were still very much present, a nice reminder to not let his guard down.

He wasn't the only one, since Ryuji came out limping more than usual once they got out. Luckily, Ann knew where he lived and was able to help him get there without any problems. He had apologized to all of them once again for having them come today, but they all just shook their heads and refuse his apology. Though the bumps on his head from both Ann and Makoto let him know that they were probably a bit upset with him over his actions, but they were willing to not grill him **too** harshly since he didn't end up trying to cross the line and they came out of it with a huge amount of cash. Enough even for them to be able to stock up on supplies for the Phantom Thieves and still have enough to split between the group happily. Though they all looked at each other with concern about how Yusuke would handle that much money. Ryuji in particular had bet that he'd spend it all by the end of the week on expensive art supplies and completely forget about food.

Akira flopped down to his couch, turning mid-fall to land face-up. Meanwhile, Morgana slipped out of his bag half-asleep, able to make it to his bed since he was carried the whole way home.

"I'm going to go to sleep… make sure you get some rest too, Joker." Morgana reminded him before doing just that.

Joker nodded to his feline companion and stretched. A smile crept from his face even through the pain as he remembered what he had witnessed just a while ago. It was hilarious to see the Takases babbling to themselves as they happily threw money into the air, acting like they were purchasing all those selfish desires of theirs. But that was nothing compared to the feeling of satisfaction when he imagined Sadayo finding out the news.

"I can only imagine how relieved she must feel. I wonder if she is jumping for joy? If she got emotional and started to tear up?" Akira looked at his palm, closing it into a fist, though with nowhere near the animosity that he had done earlier today. "I'm grateful to have been given these powers. Thanks to them I was able to save her..." he let out a huff as he shrugged. "They may be annoying at times, but I should probably thank Igor and the twins the next time I see them."

Suddenly his phone let out a ping, then another, and another. His smile grew wider.

[S]: Master! Are you free right now?

[S]: You wouldn't believe what just happened!

[S]: I just don't know what to think

[S]: Actually can you request me? Please let me know as soon as you can!

Akira was glad that the change of hearts on those in Mementos weren't as unpredictable as those with Palaces. Normally he'd feel too tired to do anything, with Morgana making sure he didn't try to exert himself. But the cat was asleep right now, and despite his sore and tired body, he wanted to see her. He wanted to hear her excitement in person rather than some distant text. After finding his second wind he stood up and sent her a message before walking back down towards the yellow phone.

[A]: I'll do just that, so be ready. I'll see you soon Becky.

* * *

"Hey, I'm so glad you requested me!" Sadayo wasted no time, as she started talking as soon as she opened Leblanc's door. "I have big news and I wanted—!" Her words stopped as she noticed Akira sitting on one of the stools next to the phone, his head buried in his arms. His glasses were nowhere to be seen.

"Are you okay?" Sadayo asked curiously, tilting her head slightly to try to get a good look at him.

Akira lifted his head, a yawn escaping as he worked some kinks in his neck. "I'm fine, just a bit tired as all." He turned to Sadayo, making sure to have a smile on his face. "So what's up? What's the big news you have?"

"Wait 'til you hear it, 'cause you'll be shocked," Sadayo teased Akira, showing the biggest grin he'd ever seen her have. "Takase-kun's guardians actually came to my house earlier today and began apologizing to me! They said that they were sorry for what they had done to me and that they were even going to pay me back for all the money that I had paid them in the past. That means I no longer have to pay them! Isn't that great?!" She couldn't contain her joy as she cheered happily.

' _Yep, definitely worth it to see her like this...'_ Akira thought to himself, as he happily looked at his maid. Affection softened his eyes as he continued to look at her smiling and laughing. "That's great, I'm happy to hear that. It must have been quite a surprise."

"No kidding. They just came to my apartment out of nowhere and just starting apologizing and saying how terrible they were. It was like they're completely different people…" A thought crossed her mind, as she remembered something similar happening in the past, the way they acted, what they said. she'd seen it all before. "It was like what happened with Kamoshida."

She started to remember about all the madness that had happened all those months ago, before she and Akira had made their deal, before she got to know him. About the rumors of him and Ryuji confronting Kamoshida after the incident with Shiho, that he was directly involved with what had happened. Just like then, he had confronted the Takases for their actions, and then their personality changed drastically and begged for forgiveness like Kamoshida had done. It was actually scary how similar both instances were. "It's almost like they…"

Sadayo studied her ever-mysterious student curiously, possibilities running through her head. ' _Could he have…. He wouldn't be, would he...'_

As if he could read her mind, a look of worry showed in Akira's face. "W-Well whatever the reason is, I imagine you must be feeling so relieved right now since it's such a huge weight of your shoulders? But in all honesty I'm rather shocked. Did they really apologize to you for everything?"

"Hmm? OH yeah, they did! They apologized for how they treated Taiki-kun, and they admitted that what they did was terrible." A soft smile began to form, closing her eyes to stem the tears. Her relief was obvious as she wiped the tears with one hand while the other fisted against her chest. "They... even told me that I was a great teacher, and that Takase-kun probably felt the same way. I'm… so glad."

Akira let out a sigh of relief as Sadayo continued on. He could feel the warmth of his cheeks, his thoughts lost in her radiant face. "I'm glad to hear that. I always had faith in you."

"You did," Sadayo affirmed. A warm feeling in her chest began to expand through her whole body as she looked towards her student and master happily, finally able to feel like she deserve those words of kindness he always expressed towards her. Bolstered by this, she placed her hand on her swayed hip, a stance she took when she was standing her ground. "But I still have some ways to go, so tonight I will be officially quitting my part-time job as a maid!" Sadayo said victoriously. It didn't last long as she smiled awkwardly and looked away. "Though I'm still technically talking with my boss about things. I ended up taking so many shifts that it would cause a big problem if I just up and left. After all the help I got I didn't want to be an inconvenience to them."

She pumped herself up quickly enough though, as gesturing to herself confidently. "But now I can finally make a fresh start as a teacher. It will take a long time to earn their trust, and some may end up never fully forgiving me, but I will strive to take care of my students. Because that's the ideal teacher I promised I would become. Though considering how late I am, I'll probably be an old woman by the time I achieve my dreams, won't I?" Sadayo said awkwardly, but still smiling nonetheless.

Akira chuckled at how she kept switching between confidence and uncertainty, but it was to be expected. It would obviously take some time for her to fully get over all the things that had happened. But he was more than happy to cheer her on. "Nonsense, I've never met anyone as hardworking as you. And now that you can focus on your teaching, I'm sure that you'll be great."

Sadayo nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I'm still within the age range that is considered 'young' after all." Hearing him compliment her like that made Sadayo's heart race. She was so glad she had found such a caring and supportive friend, and in one of her students no less. "...I was always able to rely on you, Master. You were there when I needed someone to talk to, and you were there when I felt lost and alone. You always listened to me and always had faith in me. So thank you… from the bottom of my heart."

"It's nothing, I'm glad I was there for you."

They both smiled at each other happily, appreciating the bonds they had formed with one another. Sadayo then remembered something.

"Oh, right I almost forgot. How did it go again? Right." Sadayo did a curtsy, towards Akira, head tilted to the side as she smiled like a stereotypical moe maid. "Thank you for using our services, Master. Today marks the day that I graduate from being your maid."

The realization hit both of them. Tonight would be the last night that they'd spend together like this. Both of them were so excited about her not having to pay the apology money anymore that they forgot that it meant solving her problem. They would no longer have any reason to meet like this.

Akira began to feel a bit lonely. ' _Graduating from being a maid. After this she''ll just become my teacher. We'll just be back to student and teacher.'_

Sadayo on her end felt a bit lost. She had justified her visiting Akira as Becky, but soon Becky would be no more, and it would be harder to excuse her visiting him as his teacher. ' _I won't be able to see him as often outside of class, or talk to him like this. He'll just have to be one of my many students. I mean I can see him still, but it will always be with the barrier that we are student and teacher.'_

"That's a bummer... I'm really going to miss having you around, Becky," Akira said, placing his head over his arm, obviously sad that things have ended.

Sadayo was hurt to see him look so sad with the news, especially since she felt the same way. "W-well, I mean I could always be your personal maid." Sadayo blurted out without thinking, only to flail her arms in panic. "S-sorry, just kidding, that was meant as a joke, but I guess it wasn't a good one..."

She sighed. ' _Why did I say that? Of course I can't be his personal maid. I mean, he_ _tried_ _so hard so that I wouldn't have to do this anymore. Still… will he be okay?'_

Finding it much harder to let go of her Master than she thought, she moved and sat on a stool next to him. She looked upwards, imagining his storage attic of a room, of all the things that had happened between them, how things had started, and how they are now. "Ah, a lot has happened, huh? Hey…" she looked back at him "joke or not, are you going to be okay once I stop coming here?"

Akira turned his head slightly at her with what seemed to be a raised brow, causing her to blush considerably as Sadayo fiddled with her apron. Looking away to the jars of coffee beans gave her confidence. "I-I mean, your place is always so messy no matter how much it's cleaned. Sleeping there can't be good for you, and you're always so busy with your things that you rarely have time to cook or clean, don't you? I mean, I know I'm not the best at cooking, but I should have more time now so I mean..."

' _What is wrong with me? I'm just worried about his health, that's all. He never puts any effort when it comes to his own well being. I'm just worried as his teacher, that's all.'_ Sadayo looked back at her trouble student once more, biting her lips nervously. She looked away again, unable to tell him directly, "Besides, won't you be lonely once I'm gone?"

She immediately shook her head, thinking about how foolish she must sound. "What am I thinking? Of course you won't. You have Sakura-san and all your friends."

"Actually, I would." Akira answered with little hesitation. "I really enjoyed our time together. In all honesty, I want to keep seeing you. Not just in the classroom, but like this — just the two of us."

"I-I see…" Sadayo's heart skip a beat at his words. Embarrassed, she was unable to look at him with her red face. "Well, I guess I wouldn't mind meeting from time to time as friends. Still, you shouldn't say stuff like that so casually to a woman." Sadayo smacked her cheek, trying to control herself; after a few tries, she finally turned back towards Akira. "I mean, they might misunderstand your in...ten...tions..."

Sadayo found herself face to face with Akira, closer than ever before. His eyes, usually obscured by his glasses, were gray windows that stared into hers with no hint of nervousness or hesitation.

' _Lonely. Of course I'll feel lonely. There is no one who made me feel the way you do.'_ He didn't want to just be teacher and student, or to be just friends. He wanted to personally make her happy, to make sure that no one else tried to take advantage of her ever again. He remembered back to that rainy day that she had fled, what she had told him, and how hearing that made him feel.

To make sure that she felt loved.

"What if I meant what I said? What if there was no misunderstanding?"

Once again, Sadayo's heart thundered. Why was he so good at making her feel like this? Part of her was telling her to back off, but then a part of her wanted to stay, wondering what would happen if they stood still. "Y-You understand what you're saying, right? Our situation isn't a normal one. I'm your maid, you're my Master—" Sadayo bit her tongue for letting that thought slip, slightly shaking her head as she tried to take it back, but unable to look away from his gaze. "I-I mean, I'm your teacher, and you're my student."

Akira couldn't help smile at Sadayo's blunder, but she was wrong. Yes, their situation isn't normal, but it wasn't because of their relationship as a maid and master, or their connection as student and teacher. He wasn't just anyone — he was Joker, leader of the Phantom Thieves. And what good is a thief of hearts if he can't even steal the heart of the woman that stole his?

"Is that really all I am to you…?" Akira teased, flashing that cocky smile that Sadayo couldn't help but get annoyed by, yet made her feel at peace. "Because if so, then I'd had to disagree. To me you're so much more than that."

"W-what do you mean?" Sadayo breathed, voice weak and uncertain, unable to comprehend what was going on right now. She couldn't turn away from his gaze, hypnotized by his voice. "If this is a joke then you're being too cruel. You really shouldn't tease someone like that."

"I told you before, didn't I? I meant every word…" Akira leaned closer to her, one hand holding on to the stool and the other on the counter to keep his balance. "To me, you're more than just Becky the maid, or Ms. Kawakami the teacher…"

"Akira…" His name was a mere whisper when even as air rushed from her lungs at his proclamation. His eyes were ferocious, hungry… and as Sadayo stared into them she could feel her body shiver, her head lighter. Her eyes closed of their own volition, awaiting for what was to come, as his breath drew nearer.

Akira leaned forward, toward the anticipating Sadayo. "After all, all I see in front of me is Sadayo Kawakami, a beautiful woman." One of his hands let go of the stool. "And I'm just Akira Kurusu, a man that fell in lov—"

Just as Akira was merely inches away from Sadayo, he placed his hand on top of hers, which was resting on her lap, gripping her apron. Having closed her eyes and not knowing what was happening, this was like a jolt of electricity that caused her to leap back with a panicked yelp, toppling the stools that they were sitting on as well as causing Akira to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

Sadayo backed up against the nearest table. Grasping her chest, she hyperventilated, so lost and confused that she didn't even notice how pained Akira sprawled on the ground as he grabbed his side.

"Whoa! H-h-hold on! You don't mean… Whaaat?!"

' _What was I thinking just now?! Was I really going to let him…?'_

"N-no way!" Sadayo blurted, then covered her mouth as Akira stood up, head lowered. For some reason, his tangible shame caused her to panic. She flailed her arms around, clumsily attempting to take back what she just said. "Wait no, that's not what I mean by 'no way', but whaaaat!?"

' _WHY am I taking that back?! Shouldn't that be the obvious response?!'_

Sadayo had no idea what to think. Her heart had probably broken whatever record now for how fast one would beat by this point. And for some reason, even as she did her best to cover it with her hands, she couldn't stop smiling like an idiot.

"Wait, um. Okay… okay… okay… okay… okay..."

"Um, Kawakami?" The fall had snapped Akira of whatever idiotic logic had caused him to confess to the person who obviously would be at risk if she is seen with him. He wanted to try and take it all back, but he was unable to get a word in edgewise. He raised his hand, trying to gesture to her to calm down. "Kawakami it's fi—"

"Time!" Sadayo burst out, plastering herself further to the table digging her back, anything to be away from him. "I-I need more time!"

Even looking at him was dangerous, so she looked away from her — student? — Master? — Akira? At this point she didn't know what to see him as, and the fact that it wasn't — was? — so obvious had her freaking out beyond belief. "I mean, you're both my student and my master, while I'm a teacher and a maid. This is all so confusing! So let's save this discussion for next time, okay?!"

"Sure..." Akira blinked dumbly, not expecting this reaction, but it was obvious that it would probably be best to let her calm down before he tried to apologize. He hung his head dejectedly, regretting having told her. All he could do now is wait for her response, wondering exactly when "next time" would be — or if he was better off not knowing.

"A-anywayIshouldn'tstaytoolongImeanyouhaveexamsstartingtomorrowandyouprobablyneedyoursleepsoI'lljustleaveyoutothatanywaygoodnight!"

And with that, Sadayo fled the cafe once more. This time though, Akira didn't follow, instead standing in an empty cafe with toppled stools, a tired and pained body, and a broken heart.

"I'm such an idiot."

* * *

 **So this chapter ended up giving me a lot of problems, but surprisingly enough it wasn't cause of the fight scene, but the meeting with the phantom thieves. I had a lot of difficulty figuring out how to have it play out, I didn't want to repeat all the that had happened so far, but I also didn't want to gloss it over as one big "blah" and go to questions. I ended up trimming a lot of this part to find a middle ground, but still not fully sure how it turned out. Let me know what you think.**

 **Not to say that I'm not curious about how you think the fight turned out. This was my first attempt at writing such a dynamic scene, and while I tend to enjoy my fair share of battle shonen series, I still hope that it turned out well. And of course I'm sure everyone has written the takases suffering at the hands of the confusion exploit, but after talking it over with lost, Why not. Karmic justice and all that. Plus if I'm honest, I made it a point to always drain them of every yen that they had when I got to their fight.**

 **9 days from now marks having worked on this story for a full year now, it's kind of strange that it's been that long when it doesn't feel like it. Thank you for all of you that have been following my story since then, and all that continue to find me in the future. As such I've been wanting to go back to the older chapter and have them updated a bit and fix their grammar, as I was still learning things back then and didn't have the help I do now. Thankfully I've been getting some help from Chessicfayth on this front so hopefully it will make it easier for newcomers. The prologue is in the process right now and I'll keep you posted fo when the others get updated. and as always, thanks again for SomebodyLost for their help. As I mention this one was a bit of a headache at times so I appreciated the extra head.**

 **Next up if everything goes write will be the end of the Temperance Confidant route. Look forward to it.**


	15. Chapter 14

**So remember how I said that We'd be reach the end of the confidant if everything goes right? Well...**

 **Almost all of these character don't belong to me, but to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

As soon as Sadayo rushed inside her apartment she shut the door behind her. Wide-eyed from shock, she laid her back against the door while she attempted to catch her breath. Her hands clutched her chest tight, feeling her heart pound underneath.

"Holy shit… Holy shit..."

Her hair was a mess, looking less like pigtails and more like low-tie twintails. Out of breath, her face was flustered and red as a year's worth of sweat poured from her body. She wasn't sure if it was because of what transpired at Leblanc or because of how quickly she ran away from it.

"Drink! I need a drink!"

Sadayo nearly tripped on the way to her fridge and opened it, hoping to have something to numb her mind for a bit. Belatedly, she was reminded that her food stock was practically empty. Closing her empty fridge, Sadayo leaned against the door and slid down as her legs finally gave up. The giant emotional roller coaster of a day finally made her release a frustrated whimper.

"He's kidding, right…? Was he really going to—"

" _After all, all I see in front of me is Sadayo Kawakami, a beautiful woman..."_

Sadayo's mind flashed to those words that Akira spoke, his grey eyes that beckoned her closer. Her fingertips pressed against her lips, still in disbelief about what had just happened — what had almost occurred.

" _And I'm just Akira Kurusu, a man that fell in lov_ —"

"Was he seriously about to—? Was he going to say what I think he was?" Sadayo ran her hand through her hair, absentmindedly freeing the remainder of the frizzled mess. She grabbed the sides of her head tightly, attempting to squeeze out the memories of what had transpired from her mind, but to no avail.

Akira had consumed all her senses when he drew nearer, like a cloud slowly drifting over the ocean. The familiar scent of curry and coffee wafted from him, alongside an undercurrent of slight perspiration that pulled her in, the same smell that she recognized as he held her close at the hospital. She had let out his name in anticipation, closing her eyes she felt his breath on her quivering lips, and despite her constant rejection of such a possibility, the fact that she was hearing those words come from him, and directed at her and her alone, made her feel—

"NOPE! Nopenopenopenope! Need some fresh air, clear my mind! I do not NEED to think about THAT!" Sadayo yelled and quickly stripped off her maid outfit. She threw it, uncaring where it fell and grabbed the most acceptable set of clothing she could find in one of the clothing piles. She didn't even bother to remove her makeup as she grabbed her small backpack and went out running once more into the night.

Sadayo was still in a rush when she arrived to the convenience store. She beelined to the drink section and was about to begin the process of calculating how much she could afford to take when she remembered that she didn't need to do it anymore. The money that she has was hers and hers alone.

"That's right — that happened today as well. A lot of stuff happened today. A lot of stuff aside from—"

Two gray eyes staring intently at her —

Sadayo slapped her cheeks and shook her head to go back to her previous train of thoughts. The money was hers alone... she was in a convenience store… because she didn't have food….

She forcefully repeated this like a mantra, and eventually, it sunk in. She no longer needed to be stingy on her food budget like before. In fact, she had a decent amount that she managed to save in her desperation, money to actually spend on herself.

This was a good opportunity as any, so she grabbed a basket and began to fill it up. Assortments of pre-mades, a six pack, instant food, a small bag of rice, and, after some hesitation, some indulgent sweets. She probably has to get better food at a later point, but this should last her a few meals for now. Satisfied, Sadayo made her way to the cashier, then paused when something caught her eye.

A section with an assortment of curry paste.

* * *

Despite the summer heat, the night came with a surprising pleasant breeze. Enough that Sadayo wished she had brought a small coat. The lights on the street illuminated the way as Sadayo walked back home. Hands heavy with bulging plastic bags, mind heavy with thoughts, but thankfully calm — for now.

"I can't remember when was the last time I had shopped for a large amount of food. It kind of feels like I went a bit overboard," Sadayo remarked, lifting the bags in astonishment. The weight assured her it wasn't a dream, though it didn't take long until her arms began to tire. "Actually, I'm sure I went too overboard. I need a rest."

She had run on less energy before, so it was no problem to power through to the nearest bench. Her bountiful bag rested beside her on the wooden bench as Sadayo rubbed her shoulder and arm. Slightly pressing on the sore grooves on her palms that the bags' handles dug through, Sadayo once more looked at her loot. Still processing the amount that she got, a box of curry paste shifted into view from one of the bags.

Sadayo groaned at the spontaneous purchase. Resting her head on the palm of her hand, "Why did I even buy that? It's not like I'm any good at cooking."

Unbidden, her mind went to the night that Akira had tried to teach her. She was a failure and she made a mess of everything, but Akira was understanding and concerned, prioritizing to take care of her hand before anything else. Then weeks later, he had finally treated her to the dish that he had learned from Sakura-san, and yesterday he had also prepared a bento lunch. Despite it not being fresh, it still tasted better than anything she had eaten in a long while, and it made a terrible day just a little easier.

 _"Just let me know if you need anything, I can always make you some lunches if you like."_

She was reminded of how he so kindly offered her help in an attempt to make things easier for her, and how she had finally been able to offer some help in return.

" _I mean, I know I'm not the best at cooking, but I should have more time now so I mean..."_ the offer had slipped out of her, before she entirely knew what she was saying, though she didn't regret her words at all.

Sadayo wiped the smile that had crept once more on her face and shook her head again. Nope, nope, nope — no need to think about what happened later, earlier, whatever. Doing something was effective in driving away memories, so Sadayo swiftly grabbed her bags and power walked back home. With her rush it didn't take her long to get back to the apartment complex, but it still tired her out. Luckily, there was an elevator, and by the time she reached her floor she already got her wind back.

Out of the metal doors, around the corner, and Sadayo's breath was caught once more, though this time for the wrong reason.

"Open this door right now, young lady! I swear, if you don't open up this time I'm calling the landlord!"

Sadayo could feel her stomach twisting and turning at the sound of that voice. An older but refined woman, wearing what she knew to be a flight attendant uniform with a wheeled suitcase beside her was banging at her door.

"Sadayo! Sadayo! I know you're in there and I don't care how busy you say you are. I'm not taking no for an answer!"

Sadayo paled as her flight instincts kicked in once more. She tried to retreat, but with the uneven amount of bags in her hand, her sudden shift caused her to lose balance. She fell to the ground with a clumsy yelp.

Sadayo lifted herself up from the ground, wincing in pain while eyeing the spread out purchases in dismay. She tried to pick them up quickly when suddenly,

"Sadayo?"

She swallowed the hard lump on her throat as she raised her face towards the looming figure over her. Isako Kawakami, her mother.

"Hey, mom!" Sadayo awkwardly smiled after a moment of staring. "I'm surprised to see you so soo—"

"Are you okay?! Are you still not feeling well?! Do we need to get you back at the hospital?!" Isako nearly dived to her daughter, checking for any injuries in a manic rush.

"Mom?!" Sadayo protested, as she was shifted around by the surprisingly spry and strong older woman. "I'm okay, I just tripped, it's not a big dea—" Sadayo's protests were halted when her mother started to tear up. She couldn't protest when her mother proceeded to hold her close. "Mom…?"

"I tried to fly back as soon as I could from work, but I wasn't able to get a flight booked for some time, and then I rushed to the hospital, scared that I was going to lose you like I lost Masaru, but you **never** tell me **anything** and when I got there they said you had already asked to be discharged. So I came rushing here, frustrated and you never answer so all I couldn't tell if you were home, and all I could do is knock and wait, hoping you'd respond or get back and..."

Through the tight embrace, Sadayo could feel her mother's body tremble from the fear of losing her again. She hugged back, hugged her mother and spoke to her for the first time in years as she started to tear up as well, getting caught up in the moment. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry I worried you so much, but I'm okay now."

The words rang strongly in Sadayo's ear, and as the realization hit her for the first time in years, she smiled joyfully, finally able to honestly say such words to the family that she had pushed away for so long.

"I'm... finally okay now."

* * *

Arms full of groceries, Sadayo leaned against the apartment door to keep it open for her mother. Despite Sadayo's wishes, Isako had insisted to carry her own luggage with the rest of the groceries in, scolding her daughter about exerting herself when she had just came back recently from the hospital. Sadayo wanted to argue, but they had already made enough of a ruckus outside so it was better to continue the discussion inside.

"I can see why you've been hesitant to have me visit you," Isako's disapproving survey of the apartment made Sadayo shrink as she closed the door. "I know work must have you busy, but that's no reason to be so disheveled." The older woman's motherly instincts were in full gear as her gaze turned to the neglected kitchen. Her pursed lips indicated annoyance and resignation.. "I'm actually quite surprised, considering how organized you used to be when you were younger."

"Yeah, a lot of stuff has happened since then and I've been really busy for some time." Sadayo placed her groceries at the kitchen table. "But things have started to settle down so I finally have some time now."

"I can only imagine. I was horrified when I heard about the stuff that had happened at your school with that P.E. teacher. Especially with what had happen with—" Isako stopped herself from finishing that sentence.

"Mom, it's fine." Sadayo had the beginnings of another smile, still enjoying the fact that she was finally able to say it so freely.

"I tried to reach you when I found out about it, you know?" Her mother sighed, "But as always, you never responded."

Sadayo remembered that period well. Soon after the news on Kamoshida began to spread, calls and messages from her relatives flooded her phone. Luckily for her, many of them stopped asking with a simple " _We're not allowed to talk about it"_ message. But her mother wasn't satisfied, and for the next week Sadayo was constantly cluttered with text and voice messages. Each attempt made her guilt worse as she felt herself growing more and more distant from her mother.

"I'm sorry for not reaching to you back then. It's been a rough time on everyone. And sadly, it's not going to be getting any better any time soon." Sadayo knelt by a pile of clothing in an effort to stave off some of her mother's disapproval of the mess. As she started to pick up the mess, she was reminded of what Ms. Chouno had told her. "It's why I have to work harder than ever, for Takase-kun and all the other students that I wasn't able to help back then."

"I'm sure you will, you're Masaru's daughter after all," Isako happily stated as she placed the food Sadayo had purchased into the fridge.

"Yeah..." another smile crept on Sadayo as she continued to pick off clothes... only for it to drain when she turned towards the couch. Smack dab in the middle was her discarded maid dress, proudly in display.

Sadayo spared her mother a quick glance; the woman was looking at a box with surprise. That was enough of a distraction, so she lunged to the couch and swiftly hid the dress among one of the piles, though the haste of her action caught her mother's attention. "Sorry, I just forgot I left some delicates in the open. I wasn't expecting any company after all..." she awkwardly smiled, feeling too much like a kid again caught with a hand in the cookie jar.

"I see…" her mother gave her a curious look, obviously wondering what type of delicates her daughter would have that she'd hide it. Isako then proceeded to present the box she held — the box of curry paste borne from impulse buying. "So when did you start showing an interest in cooking again?"

"I-I just felt like I needed a change of pace. Try new things."

"I see..."

Sadayo wasn't comfortable with the knowing smile her mother was giving her. She scratched her pants' leg, feeling another layer of fabric underneath. Belatedly, she remembered that she was still wearing the maid stockings under her sweats.

"Well, you seem to be missing some ingredients, and I'm going to be staying around in a hotel for a week," Isako said. "So let me know when you're prepared. We can make a nice family dinner."

"Uh… sure, that would be nice. Though I'll be honest, I have no idea what I'm doing," Sadayo embarrassingly admitted, causing her mother to chuckle.

"Well, we can prepare it together then," her mother commented as she put the final item in the fridge. Noticing the time on her watch, she sighed. "It's already that late, I see. I know I just got here, but I have to head out soon. I came rushing to the hospital from the airport and haven't even gone to my hotel to check in." She turned to Sadayo; while not upset, she looked pleading. "Please, don't be a stranger anymore. I know you're busy with your work as a teacher, but please, let me know when you're available."

Sadayo's honest smile returned as she gave her mother a nod. "I will, It's been so long since we've talked. You must tell me about your travels. I'm sure you've gone to a lot of interesting places and tried all sorts of things."

"I have, and I'm sure you have your own stories to tell," Isako turned quizzical at Sadayo's look of concern, but thankfully, she didn't press. "Anyway, mind if I use the bathroom before I go?"

"Sure. Though again, I apologize for the mess."

"Yes, yes, but I swear you better have tidied it up by the time I get back, or at the very least do a better job of hiding it."

At the resulting glare, Sadayo hastily picked up her pace, feeling slightly ashamed yet somehow, young again. After all those years and separation, her mother never lost that authority to make Sadayo do her chores. Objectively, it was amusing, but it also galled her as an adult.

By the time she heard the bathroom door open, two piles have already been sorted. After checking that the maid costume was safely out of sight, Sadayo looked up from her work and saw her mother, staring inside her room curiously. "Mom?"

From Isako's expression, it looked like a lightbulb lit up above her head. Sadayo racked her brain for anything incriminating in the room, but couldn't think of anything.

"I'll be going now, dear," her mother made her way around the other piles of clothing. Sadayo rose up to meet her. They hugged, happy and warm amidst the mess. "I love you."

Sadayo kissed her cheek. "I love you too."

* * *

It's strange how one can miss the thing they dreaded and hated the moment it's no longer available to them. For the longest time, Sadayo had wished she didn't have to work as much as she did, that she could afford more time to herself and just relax. But now she found herself sitting on her bed during the late hours of the night, just wishing for a job to distract her of her thoughts, lest they start trailing back to _that moment_.

While unexpected, her mother's visit had allowed her something to focus on and distract herself; she didn't even need the beer that she had bought. Though the smile her mother had given her as they parted made Sadayo worried. It was a smile that she recognized even after all these years, one that was usually followed with many questions about her social life. It was frankly puzzling and worrying how her mother went from fussy to smug.

Regardless, once she was gone, Sadayo figured she could use the rest. It _had_ been a while since she could sleep early, and tomorrow was the start of the tests so she didn't have any pending work that needed grading, so why not spend her first free night in relaxation? Sadly, she found herself restless, unable to sleep from her conflicting emotions.

" _I want to keep seeing you. Not just in the classroom, but like this — just the two of us."_

"I felt so relieved when he said that he wanted us to continue meeting. But to think that he meant it in… _that_ way..." Sadayo once again began blushing. "Seriously, what was he thinking? Off all people, why me?" She was still having a hard time believing. The person that she had become the closest to, the person who she began to care for immensely… had feelings for her. Her hand rose of its own volition to touch her cheek, feeling another smile creep in.

A wave of panic washed on Sadayo immediately."Wait, this isn't normal! He's one my students! I-I have to refuse him. I mean, I'm sure this is just of those crushes that teenagers tend to have. I mean, I remember when I had a crush on that one actor when I was still in school. As a student. A student in school, not as a teacher. And he's a student, and I'm a teacher. That's why I have to be the adult here, I need to be responsible and let him down..."

The thought was enough to slow her babble. Again, it made her heart ache, especially when it lingered. "W-wait, tomorrow, tests are starting up, right? I mean even if it's just a misunderstood crush, getting rejected during exams would probably make it hard for him to focus, right? I should wait until they are done." Sadayo found herself pensive at this train of thought, crossing her arms. "Then again, not telling him my answer might make him nervous during the wait. If I had just refused him back then, it would've been all over and done with..."

Sadayo's head dropped in defeat, realizing the position she had put herself and Ak — her _student_ — in, before firing herself up. "No, this is a very delicate situation, and I need to make sure that I handle this carefully. These kinds of things are very important for a kid his age, and as his teacher I must be sure to not hinder his chances. Especially him of all people."

Even as she made her claims, she didn't fully believe it herself. Was that truly the only reason she was doing this? Or was there more to it?

Feeling herself begin to question her own logic and reasoning, she got out of bed, spiraling back to her wish of distracting work. Luckily for her, her years of disrepair and neglect had provided her with a number of things to put focus on. Starting from her bedroom and slowly proceeding to the rest of the rooms, Sadayo began to earnestly clean her home; she gathered all the clothes into a basket to take to the wash at a later time, she washed, dried and stored her dishes and utensils, she swept and wiped the floors and furniture. The following hours was a blur as she distracted herself in her housecleaning, something she didn't expect to get back in so soon after resigning from her work as a maid.

By the time that her body couldn't do anything more after the accumulated fatigue of the day, her apartment was starting to look halfway decent. Sadayo collapsed on her bed, finding a surprising amount of solace in the tired state that she was at, and let her heavy eyelids drift her to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Sadayo thought that she had long since passed the age of being nervous about coming to school. Even with the rumors cropping up in her previous school, as well as her views of herself as a teacher, Sadayo never had a problem coming to school to do her job. After all, that's what it was… her job.

Today though, despite the boost of confidence and the freedom to finally start striving towards her goal as a teacher, Sadayo found herself standing just outside the school gates, leaning her back against . It wasn't because she felt awkward around the other faculty members, or feared the students' judgment of her. No, the cause of her hesitation was a simple — one singular student.

Sadayo tried to focus on her mental preparations and ignore the students that gave her perplexed glances on their way in. Why would she be watching the gate when a P.E. teacher would be more suited for it? But because of the situation with Kamoshida, the substitute P.E. teacher had been avoiding doing anything that could to not make the other student uncomfortable.

The bell rang, and despite her hesitation, Sadayo understood that she had to go in. Yesterday's disastrous attempt notwithstanding, today was her first day towards the path to becoming a better teacher, and she wasn't going to let a little awkwardness stop her. If she did, Akira would laugh at her…

" _Nonsense, I've never met anyone as hardworking as you. And now that you can focus on your teaching, I'm sure that you'll be great."_

"Now is not the time!" Sadayo snapped, attempting to psych herself up. The surprise of the tardy students passing by made her internalize her pep talk. 'Focus on your work! You won't even see him that much today and he'll be focused on his exams. Just get it together!'

With one last breath, she began heading towards the school, towards her homeroom. As she got closer, she noticed a bit of commotion coming from her class, making her wonder if anything new had happened with the Phantom Thieves. Her curiosity wasn't enough to strengthen her nerves at the door. One last mental preparation; Sadayo closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, clutching her notebook, she opened the door.

"Quiet down everyone," Sadayo yelled out as she walked to her desk. She inwardly cheered that her teacher-voice came out firmer than what she really felt. "Exams are about to start so you all better have gotten yourselves ready." Despite her better judgment, Sadayo's gaze went to the corner of the room, just as she had done so many times by now, but was surprised when there was no sign of the familiar black locks and the reflecting glasses, only an empty chair.

"That's strange. We seem to be missing Kurusu-kun." The awkwardness that she felt started to change to concern. Other than that first day, he'd always made sure to be on time; considering the situation he was in, he couldn't afford any sort of misconduct, especially today. ' _He wouldn't be stupid to not show up after what happened last night, would he? I swear if he's trying to avoid me that much I'll go over there and drag him to school.'_

"Actually, he was called in a while ago by one of the teachers," a concerned Ann spoke up. "But they didn't say why."

"What?!"

"Probably 'cause of all the trouble he caused yesterday," one student complained.

"Maybe they're finally getting rid of him? I'm honestly surprised it took them this long."

"Of all the times to — Why didn't they tell me?!" Sadayo groaned with gritted teeth. "Who's the class representative today?"

Mishima stood up nervously at the surprising amount of energy coming from Sadayo. "T-that would be me."

"Make sure no one leaves this room. The rest of you better get ready. As soon as I get back we are getting straight into exams."

"Ye-yes ma'am!" Mishima stuttered.

Sadayo stormed out of the class, notebook still in hand.

 _"But from now on, I'm going to protect you too. As your teacher, I will never betray you."_

"Dammit," she muttered.

" _Any violation will get you sent straight to the guidance counselor. And if by_ _ **ANY**_ _chance you cause_ _ **ANY**_ _problems, I won't be able to protect you at all."_

"'Dammit."

 _"That_ _ **IS**_ _your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?"_

"'Dammit!"

Sadayo was still kicking herself as she marched towards the guidance counselor room. She knew why they did this without consulting her; until recently, she wasn't willing to take her responsibilities as his teacher seriously, because of the agreement she had so selfishly made when he first joined the school.

There was no hesitation this time when she opened the door to the Guidance Counselor's room. The loud bang. startled the assortment of two teachers, the counselor, and Akira.

"Ms. Kawakami?!" Ms. Chouno spoke up in shock.

"I'm surprised to see you here. Aren't you supposed to be dealing with your class?" Mr. Urashima spoke with annoyance.

Sadayo glared at Mr. Urashima. "I will, once I have **all** my students in class." She then turned her gaze toward Akira, noticing his surprise at her arrival. Though the expression was short-lived as he lowered his head and turned toward the counselor in front of him.

"Whether he continues to be your student is still to be determined, Ms. Kawakami," the guidance counselor spoke with a tired and cold tone.

"I think we know the answer to that already," Mr. Urashima boldly stated. "He was given plenty of warnings already when he was permitted to our school. Yet despite that he feels it necessary to cause problems to the school that had given him another chance."

"While it's true that he seemed to cause a bit of a panic, I still think expulsion is too rash a decision," Ms. Chouno protested, though looking quite annoyed herself.

"Hold on a moment!" Sadayo interjected. "What exactly did he do?"

"Nothing, it's just a bunch of people baying for blood and pointing at any inconveniences to them." Ms. Chouno complained with both hands on her hips.

"I wouldn't call it nothing when a large number of parents sent in complaints," Mr. Ushimaru clarified with his arm crossed.

"Complaints about what?" Sadayo asked, trying to get the picture.

"They all said they felt threatened by his presence, that they didn't feel safe and he looked like he would strike them at any moment."

"So what, don't we always get a number of students complaining about him still being in school? Why would those matter now? I mean, we're about to finish this semester."

"Exactly, we can't just jump the gun so quickly," Ms. Chouno added to Sadayo's statement. "We need to make a proper investigation to determine such claims.".

"It's not just the students, we even got faculty involved as well. I think we have plenty of proof already," Mr. Ushimaru growled as he looked at Akira. "It's clear that this punk is a lost cause and has no intention on becoming a respectable human being. He shows no respect to his elders or those around him, threatening others to get what he wants. We even had a student saying that he tried to blackmail him!"

"And I told you already that I was only trying to help out with getting information on the scams. You know, the one that your principal pushed on to another student to take care of?" Akira growled back at Mr. Ushimaru, though he was doing his best to not sound too hostile.

"Then tell me who it was that asked for your help — I would like them to collaborate with your response," Mr. Ushimura asked with a raised brow.

"I'd rather not drag them into this little conversation of ours. This is about me after all, not them," Akira scowled at older man.

"Kurusu-kun, I know you are only protecting your friend, but without their collaboration we can't just take your word on it," Ms. Chouno pleaded with him, sounding much more calmer than her opposite. "I want to help, but I can't do that if you just keep quiet."

"I'm sorry, but that stays with me."

Sadayo was quite surprised at Akira's firm statement. ' _The principal had another student…?'_

 _"Still, if that is the reason, it's really frustrating. Why do I have to run errands for a student? Even if the principal seems to favor her."_

She was reminded of that afternoon where Akira was called by Makoto for some lost item. ' _Was that really the real reason she called for him that day?'_

 _"Just feels like she has way more responsibilities than someone of her position should have."_

She knew he was being honest. Knowing him, that sounded like the kind of thing he would do. But what exactly happened with the other students and faculty that they found him so frightening?

Suddenly, she the way he acted in the hospital when the Takases showed up. He was around when they showed up at school yesterday, and even though she never really turned to look at him, couldn't face him, she knew he was upset. But If he was _that_ upset like in the hospital, she could only imagine how he looked after she pushed him away. ' _Was it because of me that he's here?'_

"Akira Kurusu," the counselor spoke up, his tone very tired but harsh. "Understand that our school is in a very precarious situation right now. The morale of the students are at an all-time low because of the countless scandals that we found ourselves dragged into. Your addition into our school was something many could overlook since we held such a high reputation that the PTA had confidence in our ability. But now, many question the school for having such a dangerous criminal around their children. Many demand a guarantee that we can secure their children's safety, so your actions yesterday have made it difficult for us. How do you intend to take responsibility?"

Without faltering, Sadayo stepped forward by Akira side, still holding her notebook in hand. "If it's a guarantee they want then let me provide it." The whole room looked utterly flabbergasted at Sadayo's offer. "I'm his homeroom teacher after all, so I'll take full responsibility. Just direct any and all complaints to me."

"Ms. Kawakami?" Ms. Chouno was at a complete loss for words. After all, not once since she worked at Shujin had she seen Sadayo stand up for another student, more so for the infamous problem student.

On the other hand, Mr. Ushimura look more annoyed than shocked. "Ms. Kawakami, that won't be necessary. This is between the school and him, you need not get involved. After all, that was your condition to take him in your class, was it not?"

Sadayo gave him a glare; the remark was a nasty reminder of how neglectful she had become these past years. "As the counselor said, things have changed now. He's in my class so if there's someone their eyes are going to be looking at, it's me. So I'm sorry but no, I do have to get involved."

Mr. Ushimaru shook his head in disappointment. "You don't have to put up an act, Ms. Kawakami. We all understand that the Principal clearly made a mistake in putting him in your class."

"W-what do you mean?" The look on Sadayo's face was full of dread and concern.

"You said it yourself didn't you? A male teacher would had been much better tasked to deal with a threat like him." Mr. Ushimaru let out a tired sigh, actually looking disgruntled. "It all became obvious yesterday."

"You mentioned going to meet with Kurusu-kun yesterday, but when you came back you just excused yourself and left. Then we got news of the other student feeling threatened," Ms. Chouno explained to the lost Sadayo, though not happy about it herself.

"It's obvious that this little shit threatened her, if not worse!" Mr. Ushimaru angrily pointed at the dejected Akira. "Considering how much trouble Kamoshida caused him, he probably thought himself justified to get back at one of his teachers! I mean look at him, he can't even look at her!"

Akira's uneasy but placid gaze quickly darted to dark and angry towards Mr. Ushimaru, who glared back.

"What, you want to deny it? We already know that you're capable of such actions. I'm sure it was really easy for you once you had an excuse."

"That is going too far!" Ms. Chouno protested. "We can't just jump into conclusions without any evidence!"

"He did no such thing!" Sadayo joined in, her anger palpable. "He's never threatened me or acted with intent to harm me!"

"If he didn't, then why are you protecting him now?" Mr. Ushimura postured, still not convinced. "You've been very vocal about your dislike of having been put responsible for him, but now you're thinking of taking the blow for him? I don't buy it! He must have forced you to take the fall for him! Unless you've gone soft on the boy?"

"I'm telling you that you have no basis for—"

"Would you you cut it out already? Not everything is about you."

The room all turned to the once-again calm Akira. Sadayo was the most shocked at his statement. "W-what?"

Akira let out an exasperated sigh, letting everyone know his frustration. "What, may I ask, would I benefit to threatening someone like Ms. Kawakami? Considering how lazy she is, anything I ask her to do would just be pushed to the side. Not only that, she doesn't even care about what happens to her students, so if I was going to go for someone it would be one that I could easily guilt trip, not an uncaring adult like her." Akira shook his head, looking quite disappointed. "I mean, it's not like she's someone the other students look up to, so I couldn't even use her to get rid of those rumors for me. So I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to pin such a failed idea like that on me. And gone soft on me?" he scoffed. "You're kidding right? She's constantly hounding me about my grades and behavior at class, so I figured if I played the role of a good student she'd let up on me, but now I'm just stuck with her high expectations. It's really annoying."

' _W—what is going on here?'_ Sadayo was at a loss about what she was hearing. This sounded nothing like the Akira that she knew. The memories of what he'd told her and what he was now saying caused a rift in her heart. ' _Why is he being so cold all of the sudden? Acting so indignant, even lying to me? I thought he said that he didn't—'_

At that moment she was reminded of what he had told her. He was distancing himself from her, acting cold in front of the teachers. Probably trying to push her away because of his confession last night, nervous about them implying anything between them and pushing too hard in the other direction. But most of all, much to Sadayo's ire, he was throwing himself into danger _again_ , danger that he could easily avoid but still leaped in to protect those he cared about.

' _Why does he always do this? Why does he always jump to sacrifice himself for others without hesitation?!'_ Sadayo could feel her eyes tearing up, her hand gripping her notebook tightly in frustration. ' _And why does it hurt to hear him say that, even though I know he's only acting?'_

The unexpected smack of a notebook against head halted all noise in the room.

"Ms. Kawakami!?" the other staff members shouted in unison at the sudden strike from the usually lifeless teacher.

"WOULD YOU STOP ACTING LIKE A BRAT?!" Sadayo yelled out in anger at the stunned student. "Don't you get that you could be expelled?! If that happened than you'd get sent to a correctional facility! Stop and think about how your friends will feel if you were taken away like that! SO JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME HELP YOU!"

She can hear her heaving breaths echoing in the room over the pounding of her heart. In front of her, Akira wordlessly gaped; he ended up lowering his head in tangible shame.

"Sorry, what is going on?" the counselor finally asked, still at a loss alongside the other teachers looking at each other in confusion.

Sadayo made sure to calm herself, rubbing her eyes before proceeding to straighten herself up once more. "I apologize for the outburst, but please disregard his behavior that he showed just now."

"What?! Why should we?!" Mr. Urashima yelled in protest.

"I've talked to Kurusu-kun a couple of times already, as Ms. Chouno can attest," Sadayo nodded to the mentioned teacher's direction. "What you just saw is him lashing out because he was nervous and didn't know what to do. After all, right off the bat he was labeled someone to be either feared or looked down on thanks to those leaks of his information."

Both hands clasped firmly around her notebook, Sadayo stared straight at the counselor. "He may act or look threatening, but I can assure you he's harmless and would never hurt another person if he could avoid it. I mean, think about it; he's been at this school for months now and despite all the rumors and talks about him, he's barely caused any problems. I'm also sure you've all seen how capable he is at his school work, both in classes and during tests. He's a very diligent student and a hard worker and I feel it would be a disservice to the school and to Kurusu-kun if we don't give him an honest chance." She turned at Mr. Ushimaru, smugly placing a hand on her hip. "In fact, I'm certain that he'll do well on the exams. Feel free to keep an eye on him; that way you can be certain if he cheated or not."

Mr. Ushimaru huffed in annoyance. "That still doesn't explain what had happen on yesterday."

"That would be my fault," Sadayo bluntly answered, catching all adults off-guard. "Like I mentioned, I had gone to talk to him to see how he had been handling all the rumors, but during my talk with him I was visited by the guardians of an old student of mine." Sadayo frowned. "We don't exactly get along well, but they never showed up at school before. We got into a heated argument and Kurusu-kun got caught in the middle of it."

Gently, she placed her hand on her student's head, his hair soft and warm between her fingers, and pushed slightly down to gesture him to bow; he followed easily without complaint. Sadayo bowed in turn. "It was wrong of Kurusu-kun to scare the students and faculty, but it was wrong of me to ignore the unrest of one of my students in front of me and disregard my responsibility as a teacher to leave like that. I promise it won't happen again and I'm willing to sit down to explain and apologize to everyone that sent in a complaint. I just ask that you forgive us both for our transgressions from yesterday."

The counselor seemed unsure. "Well I appreciate you explaining the situation, but we're still in a precarious situation."

"I say we let her take care of it," Ms. Chouno suggested confidently. "As you said, we are at an all-time low. So won't having one of our teachers get involved in the reformation of a probation student help with that? It would definitely show how dedicated we are to the cause of helping our students."

"You do have a point," the counselor tiredly sighed again. "But understand, Ms. Kawakami — if we do let him go for this, it will be on your suggestion as his homeroom teacher. If he were to do anything else to harm the school or students' safety, you will be held accountable."

Sadayo nodded. "Understood. I have confidence that he will do well if we just give him a chance, so I will take responsibility."

"Very well then. He's your responsibility from now on."

Mr. Urashima clicked his tongue in annoyance, but it the choice has been made. He directed a stern look at Akira, who seemed much more docile than earlier. "I'm still keeping my eyes on you. If you truly intend to become a respectable human being, then I better not catch you doing anything that will ruin this opportunity given to you."

He proceeded to storm off the room, leaving the other party to sigh in relief. Sadayo exited the room with Akira and her co-teacher

Ms. Chouno let out a satisfied stretch."Well, that was one way to start the exams." She turned to Sadayo, who was massaging the bridge of her nose with an audible groan. "I have to say, I don't fully know what had you change so drastically, but I like it! Magnifico!"

Sadayo awkwardly smiled, trying not to glance at the student that was standing between the two of them. "Uhh… thanks, and thank you for backing my suggestion back there." She let out a tired sigh as her head and arms slumped. "I honestly had no idea what I was doing."

"Por supuesto. I'm looking forward to see this new change of yours."

Sadayo bowed gratefully along with Akira as she walked off. Once the coast was clear, Sadayo sighed in relief. "You definitely don't make things easy for me," Sadayo directed her smile at her student. "Still, I'm glad that I was able to help."

"Yeah, thanks for your help."

While Akira's voice sounded concerned, it felt distant even now. Sadayo figured he was only acting like that in front of the other teachers, so why was he still keeping up the act? "Kurusu-kun?"

"Sorry for causing you so much trouble. I'll head over to class," Akira quickly bowed and walked off, as if trying to get rid of her. On his way he was stopped by a worried pair of Takamaki-chan and Nijima-san. Sadayo distinctly remembered telling Mishima not to let anyone out of their class, but considering that both of them were probably worried about Akira, she figured she would let them off a little easy this time.

From what Sadayo could hear, Ann apparently went to look for Makoto and told her what had happened. Makoto was actually going to head to the Guidance Counselor and make a case for Akira as the school president, so both were surprised that he was already out, though still worried until he told him that she had helped him out.

Despite his distant attitude just now, Akira seemed to be all smiles and reassuring to the other girls. At that moment, Sadayo felt so far away from her student, so far from the boy that had caused her heart to race. This is how it should be...

' _...So why do I feel so alone?'_

* * *

Sadayo took a moment to take in the sights of Yongen-jaya. Despite the countless times that she has left this station, it was still odd to be here during the day. Unsurprisingly, the street was quite busy, though nowhere near the amount of crowds one would see in the likes of Shibuya. She tried to walk in confidence — she was wearing her casual outfit, not the attention-grabbing maid costume — but the bustling life still made her nervous. There had been a few people who had seen her as Becky, after all.

Trying to focus on her agenda, Sadayo bit her lip. Today was the day that she would meet up with the doctor that took care of her in the hospital, requested by the one person who seemed to have helped her in almost all aspects of her life — Akira Kurusu.

Sadayo sighed as her thoughts once again went to her student. After the incident that had occurred this morning, she hadn't seen him. The counselor already had her talking with a number of teachers and students, and by the time she was done, most of the classes were already finished with their tests for the day. Many showed little confidence to her words, but as frustrating as it was, it was to be expected. Her actions until recently did not bring much confidence in her capabilities, so of course, they'd be suspicious. But if she ever hoped to gain the trust of those around her, she has to start from the bottom.

Her mind was so busy that it took her until she saw Leblanc's sign in the distance to realize she had defaulted towards it.

"It really has become a habit to come here, hasn't it?" Sadayo sighed. She wondered if her Mas — _student_ — was home; Sakura-san was more than likely still be there, but maybe, she could drop by, say that she had come on behalf of the school and—

"Nope! I'm here for other reasons!" Sadayo slapped her cheeks and she turned away from the beckoning aroma of coffee. Resolute, she followed the directions written on the note given to her until she arrived at a shady looking building. A clinic in the back alleys didn't seem like a safe or professional place, but Dr. Takemi seemed revered — or feared, which didn't help matters — in the hospital. And Akira trusted her, so—

Sadayo lightly smacked herself again. "I really need to stop thinking about him. Anyway, let's get this over with."

Inside the clinic was a small waiting room. There were shelves with all sorts of pamphlets and medical information and, for some reason, a chain divider by the end of the room. At her left, what she could guess was the registration window was empty, but she could hear someone talking from behind the adjacent door nearby.

Nobody was in the waiting room with her and she didn't have anything to do, so she took a seat. She was still a bit nervous about her visit and she actually contemplated not coming at all, but this was all a part of changing her life around. She couldn't risk getting hospitalized again, especially not so soon.

Before Sadayo's imagination could run wild with the surefire disapproval about her lack of progress with her health, the door with the voices opened. Dr. Takemi came out with an elderly woman.

"Just make sure to take your medication as I instructed you, and let me know if any abnormality or disconnection occurs."

"Of course, deary. I'll be sure to contact you if anything happens." The older lady bowed in goodbye then noticed Sadayo, and gave her a courteous bow. She ambled towards the door to leave, though she turned suddenly to the doctor once more. "And don't forget to keep the flans that I gave you refrigerated. I put a lot of effort into making them and it would be a waste for them to go uneaten."

Takemi scratched her head out of embarrassment as the old lady left with a chuckle. "I swear, she treats me like I was her own granddaughter sometimes." Though she sounded annoyed, Sadayo could see the hints of a smile coming from the doctor. But the satisfied, barely-there smirk she turned to Sadayo was worrying. "Oh, so you did come."

Sadayo stood up and gave a bow. "Y-yes, I'll be in your care."

Takemi gave a small chuckle at the display in front of her. "No need for such formalities over here. Come, let's go to the back."

Sadayo followed the doctor through the door to the exam room. At Dr. Takemi's direction, she took a seat at the chair before Takemi's personal chair as the doctor went and looked at her files. Her hands wrung each other nervously.

"So from our last meeting, you were suffering from overwork and malnourishment" Dr. Takemi flipped through the notes before directing Sadayo a serious expression. "I know it's only been a couple of days, but have you been able to find a way to manage all those jobs you said you're doing?"

"Actually, ever since Monday I've been quitting a number of them. And by today, I've already stopped working on a good number of them. I still have a few jobs after this, but I'm hoping that by the end of the week I'll just have my teaching job to focus on." Sadayo, although proud of her progress, awkwardly smiled, a bit embarrassed to tell her doctor about this after her resistance in the hospital. Something that was confirmed by the look of surprise on the doctor's face.

"Well, that is certainly a change in the positive. But why the sudden shift?"

"Things... just changed. It permitted me to not have to focus so much on those secondary jobs, so I no longer need them."

"Did they now?" Takemi asked with a smug look on her face, not at all surprised by Sadayo's explanation. "Someone must have been very motivated?" she muttered.

Sadayo couldn't quite get what the doctor just mumbled. Besides, she still wasn't sure how to describe the events that had occurred herself. When she had been asked about leaving any of those jobs, Sadayo truly felt like such a thing was not an option for her, but then a few days later the Takases went from threatening her with blackmail, to begging for forgiveness, all in the course of hours. It was like they had been given a—

' _Wait a minute.'_ Sadayo had been so excited and relieved to be free of the Takases' grasp that she never really questioned what had happened. She was just so happy to get it over with and wanted to move on. Then the _thing_ with Akir — _her student_ , dammit — happened and her thoughts had been, much like right now, constantly going back to him. But when she thought back to their apology, the way they begged and apologized, how they were willing to risk their lives to make amends... it was like Kamoshida again. ' _Could they have been...?'_

"Hey Doc, you in there!?"

For a moment Sadayo thought that her mind was messing with her. It was bad enough that she constantly found herself thinking of him, but now she was hearing him as well. But as she turned to the doctor it seemed that she also heard the voice.

"Oh, speak of the devil… excuse me, this won't take long." The smile Takemi has was a mischievous one.

Sadayo nervously watched as the doctor stood up and walked outside the door, proceeding to talk to what she imagined was Akira. She could hear them in the middle of conversation, and admittedly, a part of her wanted to press her head against the door and listen in on what they were saying, but despite those desires, she didn't stand. After all, how could she know that it was him? Akira had been in her mind this whole time, so maybe she was simply projecting this on the person that had just walked in.

' _I mean, running into the person so suddenly after thinking of him? That's the kind of thing you see in_ _cheesy_ _movies and shows.'_

She wasn't sure if this was a step up after hallucinating meows and other cat sounds, but Sadayo managed to convince herself that she was just hearing things. The door handle turned and Sadayo straightened, trying not to feel guilty that she wanted to eavesdrop —

Only to meet Akira.

Takemi popped from behind the frozen statue. "I figured that since you know each other, he can help me out by taking notes before I treat him," she casually said, the only one not flustered and red in the room. "It's not hard; I'm just doing some simple questioning and," she studied her notes, leaving the room in suspense before, " _vital_ _s_ _checking_."

That seemed to be the catalyst to bring Akira back to life. "I-I'll come back later," he quickly turned around and ran.

"Wha— Kurusu-kun?!" Sadayo hand's stretched out to him instinctively as she saw him flee. The knot in her heart tightened.

Takemi looked surprised herself. She awkwardly scratched her cheek with her finger. "Huh… I'm not going to lie; I was expecting some sort of reaction, but I didn't think he'd run away like that. He sure runs fast for someone who's injured."

"He's injured?!" Sadayo began to panic at the doctor's revelation. "Is it serious?! Shouldn't we drag him back?!"

"Nothing serious, just a nasty bruise on his side… Though thinking about it, I probably shouldn't be telling you that," the doctor gave a simple shrug with a smile that made Sadayo wonder if this was intentional. "Oh well. Shall we continue?"

Trying not to show her suspicions, Sadayo nodded as the doctor began to ask her a few questions. Questions involving any other changes; has she been eating better and how has her sleep been? Sadayo did her best to be truthful with her answers while leaving some details — that she has been trying to eat better but she still relies a lot on instant stuff and that she has been having problems sleeping, but she didn't mention that it was because of her circling thoughts... Which, of course, made her think back on the subject of said thoughts.

Sadayo absentmindedly nodded at Dr. Takemi's statement that she'll now check her heartbeat. The stethoscope was cold on Sadayo's heart, but she paid no mind as thought back to what the doctor had said.

' _Thinking back then, wasn't he grabbing his side in pain, back after he tried to...?'_

"Huh, that's odd," Dr. Takemi commented with a frown. "Have you had any chest pains?"

"Huh? No, nothing like that," Sadayo responded, her mind still elsewhere. ' _But thinking about it, wasn't he hurt that time at school as well? He had mentioned going to his doctor...'_ Sadayo refocused towards the doctor that was writing notes with a smile. ' _She's probably the doctor that he goes to for such injures… Maybe she knows about those 'extracurricular activities' of his._ '

Kururu-kun's appearance notwithstanding, everything has been perfectly normal. Dr. Takemi was a professional and simply asked health-related questions and checked her vitals. Despite the occasional suspicious smiles directed at her, Sadayo was starting to feel more relaxed.

She shouldn't have been surprised when someone shady-looking with a title of 'The Plague' decided to pounce.

"So is there any reason for Kurusu to flee from you like that?"

"W-what do you mean? Why would I know?" Sadayo was like a deer in front of headlights.

"Well, I'm sure he visited you on Saturday, so he had no problem seeing you then. He looked worried then, but now…" Dr. Takemi tapped her arm. "I've never seen him run away so fast before. I'm quite curious."

"I-I'm sure he just got nervous about seeing me out of the blue." Sadayo could feel her face turning red, unable to look at the doctor directly.

Dr. Takemi simply chuckled. "I don't think so. Considering the things I have him do, I can't imagine him running like that over a simple surprise."

' _What does she mean by that?'_ Sadayo's embarrassment fled as she gave the doctor a suspicious glare. "Actually if I may ask, you know about the injuries that Akira seems to get at times, yes?"

"I am his doctor so he would come to me for such things, yes." Takemi responded with a curious tilt of her head.

"He mentioned that the doctor he goes to taught him some first aid, so he could take care of himself."

"Yes, that would be me. He also helps out here at times, so it was important for him to at least understand the basics. What exactly are you asking about all of this?"

The cold stare that frosted over the doctor's demeanor made Sadayo hesitate for a bit, but this was the closest she has gotten to finding out any info on those activities. Perhaps the closest she would be, so despite the frightening look of the doctor Sadayo forced the words out of her mouth. "Can you tell me the reason for why he keeps getting those injuries?"

"Are you asking me as his teacher, or because of another reason?" She looked a bit surprised at her question, but it only seemed to pique her curiosity.

Sadayo scrunched her eyebrows, thinking hard. It's true that as his teacher, it would be obvious for her to show concern for her student, but her reasons were much more personal than that. She hated seeing him injured; each time she saw him in that state reminded her about when he arrived at school late. How beat up he was and how she simply ignored it because she didn't want to bother.

There was a visceral, deeper reason there, something she knew but didn't want to focus on. Sadayo got the feeling that any lie would be seen through easily by the doctor, but admitting about her messy thoughts was more terrifying than the Plague's stare.

She turned back to the doctor, nervousness and concern obvious. "Can't it be both?"

"I guess it can," Dr. Takemi chuckled as her frost shattered. "But as a doctor I can't discuss my patient's situation with others. Though I did kind of mess up with that one mention."

"I see… Sorry for asking then." Sadayo was disheartened. Another dead end to the mystery.

"Anyway, things are still not that great, but they aren't worse so there's always that," Takemi flipped back to her notes, back to being a professional doctor. "We can do another follow-up in around a week to see how much changes once you're no longer working on those jobs. I'll see you until then."

"Thank you," Sadayo stood from seat and bowed to the doctor. She was about to walk out the door when—

"Still, I do wonder..."

Sadayo stopped as she turned to the doctor.

"He said he got injured yesterday. I wonder what happened to cause that...?" Dr. Takemi then turned towards the confused Sadayo. "Oh, you're still here? Don't mind me. I'm just thinking out loud."

Sadayo felt like the doctor was giving her a bone, but what did she mean by her question? Doubts and mysteries in mind, Sadayo left the clinic. Once more, her eyes turned towards the path that lead to Leblanc.

With a sigh, she headed to work.

* * *

"There, that should do it," Sadayo smiled victoriously, immensely satisfied at how much brighter and cleaner her apartment looked now compared to just a few days ago.

After the chaos and the constant curve balls that life has been throwing Sadayo's way for the past two few days, Thursday was a much appreciated change of pace. Other than her momentary glance at Akira's direction during homeroom, Sadayo had been kept busy by watching the students in a different class during their exams. It was for the most part uneventful, but she had to give an exasperated though expected sigh when she noticed Sakamoto panicking in the back. Afterwards, she stayed after school to continue explaining what had occurred, attempting to qualm the students' fears.

It wasn't easy — it seemed that the number of people that had complained was much larger than she had anticipated, so she needed to continue tomorrow or possibly, the next week. Many gave her similar looks of disbelief as the faculty did when she stated to claim full responsibility for Akira. It hurt, but many were still not sold on her reasoning and desire to change.

Sadayo took one of the beer cans from her fridge. She let out a sad sigh after taking a drink. "I knew I had screwed up badly, but seeing everyone's looks really brought it home. But still, that's why I have to work even harder to make it up to them!" Sadayo pumped her fist with a fire in her eyes. Her proclamation was then halted when the doorbell rang. "Oh, mom's already here." She promptly finished the can of beer and disposed of it before heading to the door to let her in. "I know I said that I was free this afternoon, but I didn't expect you to come so quickly."

"What do you expect? It's been so long since the two of us ate together. I wouldn't miss it even if I was halfway around the world."

Her mother was beaming with joy as she entered Sadayo's apartment, bulging bag in each hand though they didn't seem to hinder her from hugging her daughter. She headed towards the kitchen. "I noticed that you were missing some ingredients, so I took the liberty of picking some up on the way here. I hope you don't mind?"

Closing the door, Sadayo smiled as she shook her head. "Not at all. As I said, I honestly don't know what I'm doing, so I really appreciate you helping me."

"Leave it to me!" Isako spoke excitedly, pumping her fist just like her daughter did. "I'll get everything ready here, so could you please start the rice, Sadayo?"

"Sure thing," Sadayo nodded as she tied her hair into a ponytail. She grabbed the small bag of rice she had bought on Tuesday and proceeded to rinse it, just like Akira had taught her on that rainy night. It was a silly little thing, but thinking back on it started to put a smile on Sadayo's face. After washing the rice at Akira's standard that she tried to emulate, she turned to notice a curious smile coming from her mother. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Sadayo asked nervously.

"Don't mind me. I'm just an old lady reminiscing on the past." Isako said with a chuckle. "Why don't you set the rice cooker to start and come over here? I'll show you what to do.

Sadayo did just that, and shortly after, her mother began explaining the process to her. As Sadayo listened, she was able to recognize many of the things to what Akira had shown her before, though it seems that there were some differences and her mother wasn't as flashy as Akira was about the whole thing. Soon enough, they have curry cooking in a pot. Sadayo's hand twitched when the pot bubbled a bit, but her mother was keeping an eye on it, so there were no complications.

"I noticed you have a couple of beer cans in the fridge. Why don't you grab us a pair to enjoy? This should be almost ready."

"I already had one, so I'll just get some water." Sadayo remarked, instantly wary. Her mother's smiles throughout her visits were starting to become suspicious. She got her mother a can and picked up a glass full of water to pre-empt any temptation.

"Come now, it's been years since we had some girl talk," Isako happy opened her can and took a swig.

"Don't remind me..." A blush became very prominent on Sadayo's cheeks. "I still can't believe I told you all that stuff about me and Kazuya..."

"Well, you're always so quiet about your love life. I probably wouldn't had known that you two broke up if it wasn't for us drinking during your graduation celebration. You tend to be more honest when you do." Isako looked pensive if not a bit embarrassed. "Though I did end up learning a bit more than I intended—"

"W-we are not bringing that up again! Can we please change the subject?" Sadayo quickly interjected, going from blush to full-on flustered. This was not helped by her mother's giggling. To regain composure, Sadayo walked to the fridge and refilled her glass.

"Very well," her mother replied, keeping her eyes on the curry.

Sadayo sighed in audible relief before raising her glass to her lips.

"Why don't you tell me about this new guy you've been seeing?" Isako bluntly asked.

Sadayo almost choked on her water as she began coughing after doing a spit-take. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"You don't have to play innocent around me; you're a grown woman, after all. And I may have been gone for some time, but I'm still your mother." The smug look on Isako's face definitely spoke volumes of her confidence. "I mean, you don't need to explain to me how your delicates ended up discarded out in the living room. I just hope that you cleaned up afterwards."

"That's not — I mean—" Sadayo's was on the fritz, at a loss for words. She wasn't sure what would be worse — explaining her maid job to her mother, or having to admit that she hadn't had that kind of interaction with anyone in years.

"Then there's the fact that you seem to be showing interest in cooking again after so long," Isako continued on. "I remember back when you were in high school and said that you were going to prepare a lunch to that senior classmate of yours and confess to him. I tried to give you some help, but you were so stubborn and determined saying, ' _As long as I put my heart into this dish, then I'm sure my feelings will get through him!_ '" She gave her daughter an expecting smirk. "And how did that turn out?"

"He ended up getting sick from the food and didn't want to talk to me anymore," Sadayo mumbled in disgruntlement as she looked away out of embarrassment.

Isako couldn't help herself from laughing as she remembered the past events. "You were so sure that your life was over and refrained from cooking anything afterwards that wasn't instant stuff."

"I was young and impulsive back then. Of course I'd say something like that." Sadayo pouted. "But now it's different. What if I've actually taken a liking to cooking? I mean, it's been a couple of years after all."

"Sadayo, I looked at your groceries. Although the curry is a pre-made paste, it still needed some considerable preparation," her mother gestured to the remnants of potato skin on the chopping board. "Otherwise, everything other than it was instant."

"I-I've just been really busy, so I tend to rely on things that are quick." Despite the claim of her having a boyfriend was incorrect, Sadayo couldn't look at her mother directly as she continued to stack up the evidence.

"And don't think I didn't notice the flowers in your room. Considering how healthy they look, they must be recent. Let me guess, he got them for you when you were in the hospital." Isako's smile softened as she said this. "He must really know you if he got you dahlias. Not only that, but something tells me that it's because of him that we are talking again."

"Mom..."

Isako's expression went sullen. She set the stove on low, closed the lid of the pot, then went searching for plates in the cabinets. "I know you were devastated after everything that had happened with that student of yours. I tried to help as much as I could but eventually you wouldn't let me in anymore. I wanted to be there for you, but I also wanted to give you your space to mourn and focus on your work. I tried to stay in contact, but I didn't want to push too much and cause you to try and cut off all ties."

Unable to speak, Sadayo tightly grasped her glass. She placed it down on the kitchen tiles for fear of breaking it.

"There were many times that a part of me wanted nothing more than to just say "screw it" to letting you be independent and sit you down just to get you to tell me everything, but I didn't because I was afraid of you reacting badly to it. But when I got the call that you'd been taken to the hospital, I panicked," her mother's voice shook. "I just was so afraid of losing you like Masaru. I prepared myself; I was more than ready to break down the door and get you to explain to me why you ended up in the hospital. But when I finally arrived and got to see you, you actually responded back." Amidst her sad expression a snicker managed to escape Isako's lips. "You still tried to flee the moment you saw me — don't think I didn't see you toppling down on the ground. But you didn't shut me out. Despite how much of a mess your apartment was, and you invited me in, and you let me come back."

Sadayo kept her watery gaze on her empty glass, trying her hardest to not break down and apologize to her mother for everything. She knew her mother would be sad to have her only daughter push her away, but she just couldn't muster the courage to face her again.

"I can understand if you wish to keep your love life private. If you don't want to talk to me about him then that's fine. Or her, that seems to be becoming much more common these days," Isako interjected without much thought before walking towards Sadayo and placing her over her hand over her shoulder. "But I want them to know that I'm truly grateful to them. For being there for you when I wasn't, and for giving me my daughter back."

Misunderstanding or not, Sadayo couldn't disagree with her mother's statement. Ever since Akira had become a part of her life he had always been determined to be there for her. He helped build an alibi to pacify or distract Ms. Chouno. He made her at ease in her detestable job as a maid.. He stood out and took the students' eyes off her despite how much difficult it would be for him with more suspicion his way. He ran to her side as soon as he heard of her admission to the hospital, even asking favors from Dr. Takemi to help her. And of course, there was how he stood up to the Takases to protect her.

Akira never hesitated to be there for her. Even when she would try her darndest to push him away, he would show that stubborn side of his and find a way to help her. He accepted her, despite all her failings as a person.

"Yeah, so am I..."

Despite the misunderstanding that might occur, Sadayo couldn't stop the words that came out of her lips. They were her honest feelings, and no matter what would happen from here on out, she would always be grateful to have met him and have him in her life. At that moment though, a thought came into her mind. ' _Stubborn… That's right. He's a stubborn brat that doesn't know when to give up on people, no matter how many times you tell him not to. So why did he leave so easily after the Takases showed up at school. He'd usually argue with me for stopping him...'_

 _"Don't worry about it, okay? I'll make sure that it doesn't become an inconvenience to you."_

' _Normally he would have argued with me about him wanting to help, but he just stopped and left. That doesn't seem like him unless…'_ Sadayo was once again reminded about how drastic a change the Takases seemed to suffer. How calm Akira seemed about the whole ordeal when she told him the news…

Almost as if he knew it already.

' _Did he… do something about the Takases?'_

* * *

 **So yeah, As I was working on on the chapter, and as I was going through it I realized that there were things that I had to resolve and by the time I got most of them done I found myself having made a chapter already. Hopefully this won't upset people and I do hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Thanks again to SomebodyLost for all their help. As their assistance has been allowing me to keep these chapters going at a pace of sorts.**

 **Thanks also goes to Chessicfayth who has been helping me fix up the early chapters. The prologue and both Chapter 1 & 2 have been updated as we speak and the rest will follow as we continue.**

 **One final note and one I should have done much sooner is that I had asked a friend to do a commission of the scene from chapter 9. You can find the art on his deviant account as Holydous.**

 **Thank you for enjoying my story and hope to see you in the next one.**


	16. Chapter 15

**These characters don't belong to me, but to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

It was Friday afternoon, and another day of exams had come and gone at Shujin. Sadayo found herself sitting alone at the guidance room as she flipped through her phone. Since it had taken a few meetings with Akira to pierce that assumption for herself, she wasn't surprised to see so many people spoke up about how afraid they were of him. But as she heard more and more testimonies she came to realize that the "look" they all saw, the one that had dragged his name even further down, was very similar look to the one he had given the Takases when he had threatened them at the hospital.

Sadayo groaned and rubbed her face. She wasn't completely shocked at the fearful reaction from the controversial student's expression. However, something much more important was running through her mind as she waited for the last student she was to meet for the day.

' _If he had the same expression after leaving the room as he did at the hospital, then I'm more than certain that he didn't let the situation with the Takases go. I'm sure of it now, he must have gotten involved despite me telling him not to.'_

The first thought that came to mind was that he requested the Phantom Thieves. He had gotten their names from her, implying that those were vital for the group's help. Sadayo began browsing the Phansite forums any time she was free, reading through the posts to search for their names. Still, looking through it now, Sadayo was surprised at the amount of activity and posts that kept showing up on the site. It had only been three days since the incident, but she had to go through many pages just to reach any post that was created this past Tuesday. Many of them as she had suspected even contained people's full names, something that was a bit unnerving to her.

Sadayo continued going further and further back, searching for any mention of Toshio and Hiromi Takase. But she eventually realized that neither of the two names were on any of the posts she saw.. She even looked to see if her name would show, or even her former alter ego, Becky, but much to her relief, she saw neither present.

"Considering how insistent he was about asking the Phantom Thieves for help I was so certain that he had done just that." She reached the backlog before Tuesday and double checked the dates to be extra sure. "But it looks like their names are nowhere to be seen. Is there another way that people can get in contact with them?"

Sadayo tapped her phone against her forehead, pondering. The more she thought on how the Takases behaved, it became more and more clear on what exactly had occurred. The constant apologizing, the admittance and regret of their actions, the desire to repent to the point of endangering themselves... All of this, despite their previous signs of showing no hint of guilt, could only mean one thing...

Their hearts had been stolen by the Phantom Thieves.

"The way they acted was too similar to how Kamoshida did to be a coincidence. There is no other explanation for that drastic of a change unless the Phantom Thieves got involved." Sadayo leaned back in her chair, placing her hand on her head in disbelief. "Huh, so they actually did help me. But how could they have known? Neither mine or the Takases' name showed up on the site. The only one that knew was Akira." Sadayo crossed her arms as her eyes closed, losing herself in contemplation. "Though now that I think about it, from the way he acted, it was never as if they _might_ help. In fact, it was almost like he was certain that they _would_. Hmm..." Her eyes opened as a thought crossed her mind.

"Could Kurusu-kun actually know who the Phantom Thieves are…?" She said in almost a whisper, unsure if she even believed such a thing.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as she heard knocking from the door in front of her. "Hello, I was told to come to the guidance room after I finished my exams."

Sadayo quickly straightened herself, putting her phone away and gathering her notes. "Yes, please come in."

The door opened, revealing a student who walked in, carrying with him an overstuffed bag with papers almost bursting out. "I was told that you called for me Ms. Kawakami?"

The boy sounded a worried, which was not surprising considering he was called to the guidance counselor's room. But more than that, his look was dismissive and annoyed. As if he rather be anywhere else than here, something that was evident when he looked at his watch. The expression he had on his face had become very much familiar with these past few days as she continued to meet with more and more of the students, though if she was honest with herself, it was a look that she had already seen from her students long before the incident with Kamoshida. Thinking back, it was very similar to the look Akira had given her on his—

' _Seriously?! This is not the time! Why do I keep doing that?'_ Sadayo pressed her index finger and thumb hard against her forehead, leaving the student in front of her perplexed. To save face and prevent further misunderstanding, Sadayo cleared her throat and proceeded to look down at the notes that had been given to her. "Keita Iseya, from room 2-D correct?" ' _Huh, he's actually in my homeroom.'_

"Yes, that would be me."

"Please take a seat," Sadayo gestured toward the chair at the other end of the table, which Iseya proceeded to sit down without complaint. Probably figuring it would be faster to just comply with what he is being asked and get it over with, though looking at his watch again admittedly annoyed her a bit. "You seem a bit preoccupied. Is there somewhere you're planning to go?"

"Not really, just was hoping to take the time today to search for a summer job. So could we make this quick?"

The disinterest was the same as the others, which by this point was grating Sadayo after so many meetings having the same look on her. "I see, I'll try to get this over with as soon as I can." Though a bit of her frustration seeped through, she did her best to sound professional as she leafed through the notes. "You made a complaint about Akira Kurusu, the second year student at 2-D."

"Well yeah, he's in our class. Even you know that much, Teach. Can't we just get to the point?" Iseya spoke up in open frustration.

Sadayo could feel a headache coming on as she sighed. By this point she had enough of acting formal and just leaned on the table, letting her head rest on her hand. "Fine, then let's get to the point. The school acknowledges your complaints and understands your concern. So from now on, I will be in charge of any complaints involving Akira Kurusu."

"You?" Iseya blurted out, much more flabbergasted than Sadayo would had liked.

"Yes, me," Sadayo responded in open annoyance. "I am your homeroom teacher both so the responsibility is on me. I've already had a talk with Kurusu-kun and he's apologized and promised to not disturb the other students like that. But we understand that in light of recent events that our word isn't that comforting. So if you have any other complaints and troubles or if you feel like Kurusu-kun is getting into trouble, please contact me immediately and I'll be sure to confront him about it."

"Seriously, you're going to take responsibility for him?" Iseya responded in disbelief. "Sorry Teach, but that's not very reassuring either."

Sadayo looked at her student for a moment before letting out another sigh, straightening from her slouch. "You're right… In all my years in Shujin I have done very little to garner any kind of trust from you all. I never noticed the stuff that occurred to the other students and made an effort to avoid talking to any of you outside of class. But I want to try and be better about it. I fully understand if my words mean very little you. I don't expect you to change your view of me overnight. But despite that I still want to try. So I hope that you will give me the chance to become a teacher you can rely on and trust." Sadayo gave her student a bow. "I know I have been far from the ideal teacher to you all these past years, but I promise that from now on I'll do all I can to be there for you."

The other look that she had also become familiar with was awkwardness and confusion, currently sported by Iseya. "I don't get it though. You say you want to be there for us, but why are you defending that Kurusu? I mean, isn't he dangerous? If the school really meant all that stuff about our safety then he shouldn't even be in our school."

'That Kurusu…?' Sadayo's frustration rose at hearing Akira being called like that. Still, she let it fade as she took a deep breath. "I understand your concern. After all, from the very beginning there have been rumors about his record since he arrived. Tell me, what have you heard about him?"

"Ummm. I've heard that he stabbed a guy, just 'cause he bumped into him. That he left the guy hospitalized and is still recovering.

"But see, that's the thing." Sadayo directed her finger at Iseya. "There are no such records of him ever using a weapon, or the guy being hospitalized. All that we know is that he got into a fight. While yes, it was mentioned in his records that he did end up getting in a fight and hurting someone, it doesn't really explain what went on, and it's nowhere near the level of violence that the rumors make it out to be. I'm sure you noticed how quiet he tends to be for the most part." Sadayo took her papers. "I've been informed by his probation guardian that he's spending a number of evenings helping him out at his job, and that Kurusu-kun's actually doing some community work, he actually showed up on TV while doing so. And I'm sure I don't need to point out how hard he works on his studies; you've seen how capable he is in class yourself."

Knowing what she knew about the events involving his record, Sadayo disliked that she had to play up the misinformation of him getting in a fight. But while she believed in Akira not purposely hurting someone, the records seemed to point at him doing so. Still, that didn't mean that she couldn't play up her lie to his favor. After all, it is true that he is working at Leblanc; she just learned it from Akira as opposed to Sojiro. And she figured him helping out a politician in his campaign could be considered community work.

"You asked me why we are not expelling him? Well, that was because of my decision. Because of Kamoshida, his record was spread all over the school, and I'm sure he also had a hand in all those crazy rumors spreading. Kurusu-kun may not look like it, but he's a victim of Kamoshida too. Just like Takamaki-chan and Suzui-chan, just like the boys and girls of the volleyball and the track teams. As teachers, we failed him, just like we failed all of you, so I feel like we owe him a second chance, since it was one of our own staff that did this to him."

There was uncertainty in Iseya's eyes, but either because he didn't have an argument to her statement or because he was in a hurry that he simply let out a sigh. "I guess that's true about Kamoshida going after him. And I rather not be a part of that guy's actions."

"Thank you for your understand Iseya-kun." Sadayo bowed gratefully.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway I have to go now. So if you'll excuse me." He quickly stood up from his chair as he grabbed his bag, the force of it causing one of his papers to fall and glide by Sadayo's feet.

"Wait Iseya-kun, you seemed to have dropped something." Sadayo leaned down to pick it up. "A resume?"

"Oh, sorry about that," Iseya turned around. "Like I mentioned, I plan to look for some summer jobs today so I made a number of copies. So can I—"

"This won't do you much good," Sadayo bluntly remarked.

"Huh?"

"There's very little information of worth here. It looks like you put stuff just to fill up space and what could be of use isn't worth printing a whole page. Actually, isn't this a copy of a template? I'm certain I've seen something looking exactly like this online. I see that you didn't put much effort for your photo. That doesn't look very good for your presentation."

"What the hell, that's uncalled for," Iseya took the paper from Sadayo's hand in anger. "I've only just started so I really don't have a lot of experience so I needed to make it look good."

Sadayo just let out a disappointed sigh. "Making it look nice is fine an all, but if you try to fluff your resume with useless information they're very likely to disregard it all together."

"Whatever, I already printed out a bunch of them so it's too late now."

Iseya still sounded angry, but the from his face Sadayo could tell that he was losing confidence in his chances. She could understand how he felt though. When she lived with her parents in Kochi Sadayo never had any problems finding a part time job during her summers. But in Tokyo when the Takases' demands had gotten to the point that her teacher's salary was not enough, she found out first-hand how difficult it could be to find a job in the big city, especially at her age. Much to her shame, there were the occasional jobs where she had lied on her resume or interview, just so that she could be hired. Those jobs never lasted long though. As she looked towards her student, a thought came over Sadayo.

"Want me to help?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I know you said you have to go, but if you're willing to delay your job searching for a bit, I can help you out build a proper resume and give you some advice on how to look more presentable."

" **You** … help me out?" Iseya spoke with disbelief.

"Do you want my help or not?"

"Fine, fine... I guess." Iseya lower his head in defeat.

"Very well. Take a seat."

As soon as he sat down did Sadayo begin working on his paper. She asked him questions to help him find some good points to add and removed the unnecessary parts, explaining why such things wouldn't be any good. At first the student seemed uninterested, but as time went on he started showing attention and actually asking questions. By the end of it, it was already late.

"Okay, I think that should be it." Sadayo let out a tired stretch. "Sorry for taking so long."

"It's fine." Iseya was taking a look at the new changes that Sadayo had provided, looking much more confident than he was a while ago. "I should be able to get some new ones printed and make it to one or two of my interviews. Though I'm surprised, how do you know all this stuff?"

"I was in high school too, you know," Sadayo scoffed at her student's comment. "I've done my fair share of job hunting and interviews in the past," — ' _which was just a couples of days ago'_ — "so I have a lot experience with this. Oh, speaking of which," Sadayo quickly moved on, hoping that her student wouldn't catch on her little fib. She took out her coin purse from her bag. "Here, it's not much but it should cover for the new copies and a new set a photos. Make sure that you look professional, okay?"

"I — you sure?" Iseya responded in shock. "I mean, you don't have to. I can cover it myself."

"It's fine. Let's just say that this is my apology for taking so much of your time." Sadayo happily assured him, leaving the student speechless as he simply nodded and took the change. "Best of luck in your interviews, Iseya-kun. Make sure to remember what I told you, but don't feel discouraged if you don't get hired right away. It may take some time but I'm sure you'll be hired soon."

Her student gave her a nod in return. "Sure thing."

As she saw her student pick up his things and leave, she figured to start doing the same.

"Oh, and Kawakami-sensei?"

Sadayo turned back to her student who proceeded to give a bow, the first he'd given her.

"Thank you for all your advice. I'll promise to let you know when I get hired."

Sadayo was surprised at his actions and it took her a few seconds to get her bearings. She waved him off. "Oh, that's fine. Get home safely Iseya-kun."

As he left the room, Sadayo was left standing for a while, reflecting at the turn of events.

"He actually…" a smile began to form "actually thanked me… Huh."

* * *

"That's another one down. Just two more to go." Sadayo reminded herself as motivation while placing the graded exam next to the piles of those already done. "I'm glad to see that Takamaki-chan made it past the average grade, but I wish she'd do as good a job on her other subjects as she does English."

It was Sunday evening and she could hear the Tokyo night life begin it's hustle and bustle from the open balcony at her apartment. The life that, until just yesterday, she was a part of. It was a strange feeling to be hearing it from the comfort of her home rather than running around in hiding, and while she had no real attachment to her job as a maid, the way it just ended without any fanfare was quite odd. Just a quick call to Victoria to make sure that all her previous requests were taken care of and a formal farewell to have her officially no longer working as a maid.

Sadayo's gaze turned towards her maid uniform that was hanging from her bathroom door and let out a sigh as she rested her head on her palm. "I didn't expect them to let me keep the outfit, and after I took the effort of washing it for them, too. I would have honestly preferred a fruit basket or chocolates as a farewell gift. I mean seriously, what am I supposed to do with it now?"

Sadayo raised her hands up towards the ceiling as she did a long stretch, feeling her spine pop slightly, before grabbing the next exam. "Anyway, that's not important, now. I should finish grading these. Okay, next is… Akira Kurusu." She knew this was coming, but she couldn't stop feeling worried. "Kurusu-kun… I still haven't been able to get in contact with him since Wednesday. I know I can text him, but that's not fair to him. He deserves to hear me out in person."

Exams were finally over and done with. The deadline that Sadayo had put herself to decide had passed and she was still nowhere close to figuring out her thoughts. Much to Sadayo's frustration she wasn't able to talk to him either.

Earlier, she had finally finished her meetings with the students, so she was hoping to head over to her homeroom after exams finished and get a moment with him. When she had arrived she noticed Akira coming out of her class. Both of their eyes met for a second before he turned away, which had caused Sadayo's chest to tighten. Just as she was going to call for him she heard her name called; turns out that Iseya's interview went much better than he had expected and that he had managed to get a job on his second interview. As the boy continued talking to her she could see in the distance as Sakamoto grabbed hold of Akira by the neck and dragged him with a big grin on his face. Mishima had been following behind and was the only one of the three to notice that she was looking their way; he gave a courteous bow and followed the two troublemakers off to somewhere.

She wanted to follow them and ask them to stop for a moment. He was finally in reach and she wanted to see him alone... but she had promised him that she would do her best to become a better teacher. So as his form grew farther away, she had let out a big smile and congratulated Iseya for doing great on his interview. Unexpectedly, their discussion had brought the attention of the other students, gathering in surprise at what they were hearing. Sadayo did her best to play off their comments modestly and had simply raised her brow and told them to get in line, that she would be more than happy to share just how much she knows. As the students happily complied she looked back to where Akira was, only to see that he was nowhere to be found.

Sadayo quickly snapped her mind back to the present. Now was not the time to think about that. As a teacher, _as_ _ **his**_ _teacher_ , she still has work to do, and after a few smacks of her cheeks to keep her focused she continued on with her work, careful to not make any sort of mistake that could affect his score, both negatively or positively. When she reached the end of the test though, she couldn't help but smile at the result.

"With these results I'm sure he'll make the top ten. I can already see Mr. Ushimaru having a conniption fit when he finds out. And he'll just continue smiling that cocky smile of his. I can already hear him bragging about it, too. I'm just glad that he wasn't hindered by what happened."

Sadayo's smile quickly turned sour as she was reminded that today was her 'deadline'. She had told herself that she'd wait until tests were over before she'd reject him, and now it had passed. She could feel her chest tighten and knots form in her stomach.

"I-I should wait until school ends. I mean, what kind of encouragement is that? 'I'm really proud of how well you did in your tests Kurusu-kun! Also sorry, but I can't go out with you'?"

Sadayo could feel her frustration growing. She knew exactly what she was doing. She was stalling, running away from having to think about it, from having to confront Akira and end things with him. When she gave herself the deadline, she thought to herself that she'd be ready to tell him then, but instead she just pushed all those feelings away, acting ignorant about the whole thing. And now she was doing it again. Despite all that Akira had done for her, despite always listening to her, despite accepting her, she still disregarded his feelings because it scared her.

She grabbed her hair in anger as she growled. "WHY?!" Sadayo finally snapped. "WHY am I making this so hard on myself?!"

She jumped to her feet and started pacing, letting the papers scatter. "Why am I'm still so indecisive?! I'm his teacher, I'm older than him, I'm a coward that can't face him and give him the honest answer that he deserves." Her gaze fell to the papers on the floor, feeling bad from her carelessness. But when she picked the nearest paper, the sight of his name and now-familiar handwriting made her ire irrationally rise again.

"He probably doesn't even have any real feelings towards me. He was probably caught up in the moment after all we went through." Sadayo could feel her chest hurting, her eyes stinging, her hands shaking, but it didn't stop her from continuing on. "All of it is — is a **stupid** crush! From a **stupid** kid! On his **stupid** teacher! Nothing more!"

The paper in her hand didn't burst into flames from her glare. "I mean, summer break is about to start. We won't' be seeing each other for more than a month. I'm sure he'll forget all about it after I tell him. He's a stubborn, cocky brat who won't listen to you when you tell him not to do something. He's nosy, with no care about the consequences! Especially when he keeps on willfully throwing himself at risk without thinking about his own safety or how others might take it…" Sadayo sniffed, her voice shaky.

She let the paper fall to table before falling on her couch. "He's kind, accepting, always there when you need him, always willing to help out, selfless and strong." She shook her head, burying her face in her hands. "I mean, who would be happy to have someone like that confess to you? It's such an inconvenience."

Her mind went back to his confession, and what she figured he was going to say.

" _After all, all I see in front of me is Sadayo Kawakami, a beautiful woman."_

" _And I'm just Akira Kurusu, a man that fell in lov—"_

Hard as she tried, she couldn't get those words out of her mind, let alone understand his reason for telling her. "I just don't get it! Why would he be interested in someone like me?! He deserves better than me. I'm sure he'll be better of with another girl. Someone his age, someone that would be able to actually make him happy, someone who he'd be able to be with in the open and not be at risk of losing everything! Maybe then… maybe then he'll give up on me, so I can finally forget about him **,** so he'll finally forget me!

At that moment, amidst her tear-streaked face, Sadayo finally understood. At the prospect of losing him, not from him being arrested and jailed, but from watching him walk away with someone else, she finally realized why she had been so hesitant, why she kept running from her responsibilities, the meaning behind her smile when Akira called out to her. It was the feelings that she tried to deny for so long, but had finally broken through.

"Seriously, what is wrong with me? Why am I crying all of the sudden?" Sadayo tried to wipe her tears, but they wouldn't stop. Despite this, a smile grew from her lips as she continued her attempts to pull herself together. She couldn't deny that it felt liberating to finally come to terms with her feelings, but she knew that it couldn't be, no matter how much she wished for it.

"I… might actually have feelings for him."

* * *

Fishing had always been a reliable way for Sadayo to clear her head and think to herself. It had helped her through her awkward years in high school when she used to fish with her father, helped her through the new world of college when she had started to fish alone (and fruitlessly, sometimes with boyfriends and friends), helped her through all those years that she was being used by the Takases. And now on this Monday evening, Sadayo found herself turning to fishing once more as she tried to clear her thoughts after last night's sudden revelations.

' _Okay Sadayo, it's time to admit it to yourself.'_ She began as she caught her first fish with ease, almost absentmindedly. ' _Despite how much you denied the rumors about you and Takase-kun, and despite telling yourself that it wasn't a thing... you fell for one of your students…'_ She lowered her head in defeat, though still aware enough to not let her fish go. ' _It honestly feels like I vindicated all those rumors about me back then.'_

' _But… he likes me back. Me of all people.'_ Sadayo could tell that a smile was forming as she thought of him, fully aware of it this time as her chest fluttered and her cheeks warmed. ' _Seriously, something must be wrong with him — and me. He's just a high schooler, but just thinking back to what he said has me all flustered. I didn't even feel like this when I was dating in college.'_

' _But… It doesn't matter how he feels about me, or even how I feel. Even if we disregard our age difference, I'm still his teacher. Our school already had one scandal with a teacher eliciting relationships with students so I'm sure they'll be much more wary about it now. And he still has his probation._ Sadayo glared at the water sightlessly. _Though there are different reasons for each of us, all the parents and teachers will be watching us. If we get caught, I'll lose everything that I worked hard for, everything he's helped me regain. If we get caught… he'll be taken away...'_

Sadayo could feel her body sag, heavy under the weight of fear towards the looming fate that stood over Akira's future. Any misstep, and he'd be gone, his future gone, his life fully ruined. She had taken the responsibility over him, as his teacher and friend, promised him that she would protect him no matter what.

She just never thought that it would include protecting him from herself.

With a tight grip of her pole, Sadayo gritted her teeth, forced to swallow that bitter pill. ' _I have to refuse him. It's for his own good. I have to smother and kill these feelings so that I can protect him. I have to let go of him. I can't see him after school. I have to say goodbye...'_

Sadayo attempted to reel in her final fish of the evening, but as she did the thread snapped, the first in a long time. ' _I wonder… how would things had been if I wasn't his teacher. Would we had still met? Would we had gotten to know each other? Would he have still been there for me?'_

With melancholy, Sadayo started to resign herself to her fate. Because of Akira she regained her passion to be a teacher, but in doing so she needed to close the door on the first person she has grown attached to in years. She could choose one, or risk it all to have both, but would it be worth it?

Her phone chirped, informing her that sadly, her time was up. Surprised to find that it was already nightfall, Sadayo began to pick up her things so she could head back home, planning to stop at a convenience store along the way. Apparently she was fishing for many hours now, something that became certain when she stood up, lightly kneading her lower back, sore from the prolonged sitting. After saying her goodbye to the guy in charge, who was looking a bit confused and surprised to see her here tonight, she went to the train station and made a stop at Shibuya, wanting to grab something to eat from one of the convenience store. Not that there weren't any good options at the station, but after spending so much time penny-pinching, she was more than happy to go for the more substantial options, even if still not the healthiest. When she exited the station though, Sadayo found herself surprised from the number of people that were all clustered outside.

"Right… today is the fireworks festival. I guess that explains why the pond keeper was looking at me weirdly back then. I was so busy with everything else that I completely forgot." Sadayo let out a sigh as she tried to get through the crowds to the nearest convenience store. The streets were packed with people waiting for the fireworks to start, many even wearing yukata for the event. Eventually, Sadayo was able to make it to a shop; figuring that things were going to be a bit loud soon, she grabbed a few pre-made katsudon bento and went to pay up. Just as she was about to leave though the crowds started gathering like crazy into the store. Sadayo flattened herself to the walls and did her best to not get trampled by the mob.

 **We are sorry to announce, but due to weather conditions, we will be delaying the fireworks. We hope that you understand and apologize for the inconvenience.**

To her dismay, the now-pouring rain outside instantly made her trip back home much harder, Sadayo let out a tired groan as she held her warm food and purse close to her chest and began forcing her way through the crowds. The walkways themselves were actually clear as most avoided the rain there altogether, but sadly for her, she didn't think to bring her umbrella with her, so she had to dig through the crowds all the way to the station. After finally managing to get back to the station Sadayo sat on one of the benches. She could see a crowd forming at the gates and decided that it would be the safest and sanest to just sit and let it thin out a bit. Luckily for her, she now had a meal to indulge in while she waited. She opened her first bento box and began to dig in as she proceeded to people watch. Seeing the groups that gathered and began talking, or those that simply parted ways.

She was reminded of her social life back when she was still in college, back when she had people she would spend time with and talk through the night, whether they be friends or boyfriends. It was something that had she lost a long time ago, and she wondered if she would ever get it back, or if she was too old for it now. Though in a strange way, she could see her meeting with Akira as Becky counting as a gathering, considering the number of topics they would talk about.

The automatic smile died on her lips. Sadly, those too must go to an end. She knew that it would be rough for him to get over the rejection, and her being constantly there would only make things harder. As much as they said about wanting to meet up again afterwards, it wouldn't be possible.

"Kurusu-kun..." His name escaped her lips as she stared at what was left of her food. "Now that I think about it, didn't I run into him that one time when he was with Iwai-san? I remember how surprised I was to see him just as I was thinking about hi—"

With uncanny coincidence, a familiar face flashed by once again. It was a bit different this time though. He was walking much nearer to her compared to before, though he looked distant. He still carried his ever-present bag with him but he didn't have his glasses on. And, probably from running in the rain, he was soaking wet. "Kurusu-kun!?"

The boy stopped at the call of his name. As he turned to the direction his face quickly changed from disinterest to shock. "Ka — Ms. Kawakami?!"

Seeing him drenched as he was Sadayo took no time to walk towards him. "Look at you, you're completely soaked, are you okay?" She took out her handkerchief from her bag and did her best to pat him dry. "You shouldn't be running around when it's raining this heavily. What if you catch a cold?"

"Ms Kawakami?" While Akira didn't push her away or back off, he sounded a bit awkward while Sadayo patted his face. Soon as Sadayo realized what she was doing though, her face turned bright red.

"I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that?" Sadayo backed away as she gave him an apologetic bow.

"It's fine… just caught me by surprise." Akira's eyes avoided her and darted everywhere, blatantly looking for an exit. "Anyway, I should be heading off-—"

"Wait," Sadayo's body once again reacted without her thinking it through. She forced herself to lower her arm. "It looks like the trains are going to be cramped and filled for a while. Why don't you sit with me while we wait…?"

She was kicking herself internally for how awkward she must have sounded, but she had finally managed to reach him after all these days and she didn't want to lose this chance to sit down and talk with him. Especially since it might be one of their last.

Akira himself seemed to be pondering what to do. He was trying to act like he was fine, but without his glasses she could tell that all he wanted was to be away from her..

Sadayo ignored the pang in her heart and took charge. "If you're going to think about it, at least sit down." She grabbed hold of his sleeve and pulled him back to the bench with her.

"Sorry," Akira let out apologetically, though he had a bit of a smile on him as his cheeks turned red. As Sadayo sat him down he took notice of the half-eaten katsudon that Sadayo picked up when she returned to her seat. "Were you in the middle of eating?"

"Yeah, I planned to take it home, but with how crowded it is right now, I figured I'd enjoy It here."

"I shouldn't disturb you then, I'll leave to your meal." Akira quickly tried to stand but Sadayo was equally quick to grab hold of his arm once more.

"Just sit down," Sadayo sternly remarked as she planted him on the bench. He complied, but she noticed that he placed his bag between them, like a shield. She couldn't help her frown as she took out her second box and presented it to Akira. "Here, if you're going to be that worried about bothering me while I eat, then join me."

"I think it would be best if you keep it. I mean, you need to make sure you eat." Akira remarked while pointedly looking away from her and the box.

"Kurusu-kun, it is fine. I'm no longer in dire straits financial-wise, and these aren't that expensive." Sadayo continued to hold the box in front of him, yet he continued to wordlessly refuse. "Fine, guess it's not needed." Sadayo let go of the box.

"Whoa!" In spite of his refusal, Akira quickly caught the box with his hand. He shot her a wry look. "You know, that could've ended in a mess."

"I just have faith in your skills," Sadayo teasingly remarked.

Despite his hesitation, Akira couldn't help but relax as he saw Sadayo smile. "Fine, I will graciously take my loss and your dinner."

"Happy to hear." Just as Sadayo was about to take another bite in victory she was reminded of something. "Oh yeah, speaking of sharing..."

Akira raised his brow when he saw her take a piece of the katsudon and dangle it over his half-open bag. He had an idea about what she was doing, but still tried to play ignorant. "What are you—"

"Shhhhh," Sadayo momentarily raised her pointer finger from her chopsticks when the bag started rustling. It took a while but soon enough, she heard some meowing from the bag and the head of a familiar and slightly wet black cat popped out to take the katsudon. "I knew it… you two are always together outside of school. Hey, Mona." Sadayo giggled when Mona butt his head to her hand, purring in delight.

"Hey you..." Akira looked at Morgana disapprovingly, though not able to reprimand him in front of Sadayo.

"I couldn't help it. We haven't eaten yet and it smelled really good."

"You're as talkative as ever, I see. You want another bite?" Sadayo smile was wide and playful as he continue to pet Mona.

"Please don't spoil him. He's got a big enough head as it is," Akira sighed.

"Hey! Who are you calling big head—"

"Yeah, yeah, in you go again." Akira proceeded to gently shove the cat's head inside the bag, smiling slightly as Sadayo giggled at the scene. He could hear Morgana protest a bit longer inside until he gave a huff and went quiet. Akira then opened the boxed food that Sadayo offered him, figuring that it would be easiest to just play along. Besides, he _was_ hungry. "Thank you for the meal."

"Sure, anytime. I owe you for that lunch after all," Sadayo nodded as she went back to her food.

The two sat for a while, a quiet spot amidst the bustling crowds of Shibuya station. Both wanted to say something, trying to avoid looking at the other but wanting to know a hint of each other's mind, unsure on how to start.

Sadayo wanted to bring up his confession, but doing so in public wasn't a good idea. Considering the throngs of people and the weather, any diner or other location would probably be crowded as well.

Akira wasn't sure what to do. He was happy to be able to spend time with Sadayo again, but any encounter with her could lead to her bringing up his confession... and the rejection that would come from it. He had prepared himself for the inevitable, but it didn't stop him from not wanting to hear it.

Eventually, Sadayo finished her meal. The dead silence between the two has been steadily growing unbearable, but disturbing it seemed blasphemous. But she was the one that initiated this, so she should start. Now.. If he knew somewhere private. Leblanc. Ask if she could meet with him at Leblanc. To get this over with. Because it's her responsibility.

"Kurusu-kun?" Sadayo's throat was full of lead.

"Yeah?" Akira mechanically turned his towards her.

"I… Well, the thing is... How are things been going with you at school? I know we had that whole situation on Wednesday, but has anything else happened?" Sadayo was internally yelling at herself for chickening out at the last second.

"Oh?" Akira simply responded as he lowered his head back to his food. "It's fine. I'm still getting the occasional glares and whispers. Hallways tend to clear up for me though, so it makes it easy to walk around the school."

"Kurusu-kun..."

"What about you? You've definitely been busy on your end. I've heard a lot of students talking about how different you are. I even saw a crowd of students around you." Akira commented as he continued eating.

"You saw that, huh?" Sadayo frowned, knowing that he saw her looking his way, but simply walked away. "I managed to help Iseya-kun with his resume. Apparently, word spread around, and now I've got a bunch of them asking for advice about what to do for summer jobs and such. I honestly feel more like some sort of editor than a teacher. But it's something at least. I know I still get looks from some of the students who don't trust me, and I still don't feel like most respect me as a teacher… But it's a start."

"Yep, I've seen first hand how strong you can be. I'm sure soon enough they'll all come around as well." Akira couldn't help but smile at his teacher's complaint. It was like before, but different. Even if she was complaining about her students, her tone wasn't one of resignation or disinterest, but of confidence and drive. "I mean, you managed to win over the biggest troublemaker at school."

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo could feel the blush in her cheeks coming again, feel herself smiling and she made an active effort to frown. It was frustrating how much his words can affect her. How happy it made her to hear him say that. But that didn't matter.

What matters was letting him know her answer. She needed to be honest with him.

Akira was just about done with his meal, probably itching to leave. It was now or never. With a mental push, Sadayo spoke up.

"Kurusu-kun..."

"Yeah…?" Akira was feeling a bit relaxed, though confused and a little embarrassed from hearing her call his name so much. "What is it?"

"Do you… remember about what you told me? When I told you about the... news with the Takases?" Sadayo could see Akira's body visibly tense.

"Yeah..." Akira was kicking himself for letting his guard down. For a peaceful moment, he forgot about the issue between them. She always did have that effect on him. But he should had known better by now. After all, life has an interesting way of reminding him just how cruel it could be. Still, he was here now, no point in denying it or delaying it. "So..."

"There's something I want to talk to you about, but not here..." Sadayo could feel her heart hesitating, her hands wringing her shirt so much that it was probably stretched out by this point. "So, is it okay if we—"

"Ah! Akira, I see that you are still here."

Sadayo immediately straightened up in fear. She whipped towards the direction that she heard the voice from, and found herself staring at a tall but thin young man in a blue yukata. He was completely soaked from the rain that was still pouring and seemed to be carrying a red object in his right arm. He was quite attractive for his age and the yukata seemed to fit his appearance perfectly... but something about him was familiar to her.

"I'm glad to see that you haven't left yet," the young man panted when he stopped before them. He got his wind and straightened as he turned to at Sadayo, realizing that she had been talking with Akira. "Oh, my apologies for barging in like this." He gave a bow to the teacher. "I am Yusuke Kitagawa. I am a friend of Akira."

' _Huh, this must be the Yusuke that he mentioned some time ago.'_ "Oh, sorry." Sadayo quickly stood up after realizing that she had been staring in silence for some time. She bowed back to offer the same courtesy. "I am Sadayo Kawakami. I'm his homeroom teacher at Shujin Academy."

"Ms. Kawakami...?" Yusuke's expression was pensive, before his eyes lit up from a revelation. "Ah yes, you're the one that Akirmmrggg—"

"Huh?" Bewildered, Sadayo looked at her student clamping his hand over his baffled friend's mouth. "Kurusu-kun, what is he talking about?"

"It's nothing," Akira replied, though the look of his face clearly said otherwise. "Anyway, what's up Yusuke? You sounded like you needed me for something."

"Oh, that's right," Yusuke spoke up as soon as Akira removed his hand, apparently forgetting what he was cut off to say. "May I borrow some money for the train?"

"Don't tell me you forgot your wallet again? Why didn't you tell me this sooner? How did you even get here without a wallet?" Akira remarked in exasperation. Sadayo could tell that this wasn't the first time something like this had happened.

"I have my coin purse with me so I had enough for the trip, but on the way home, I saw this marvel of a specimen so I bought it. I can already see the wealth of inspiration that will come from it." Yusuke patted the object under his arm with confidence. "I had intended to stay the night in Madarame's old shack since I figured you had all already left, but it appears that the door is broken and won't open."

"You do know that Ryuji's place isn't that far off from here, right?" Akira tiredly massaged his forehead. "I'm sure he would've helped you out if you asked, so there was no need for you to stay the night there."

"Madarame's shack? Yusuke Kitagawa?" Sadayo's eyes went wide open as she realized who the person that was in front of her was. " **You're** the Yusuke Kitagawa that was mentioned as Ichiryusai Madarame's pupil?"

"Former pupil," Yusuke retorted, his expression melting to sadness.

"Oh, sorry. He did end up confessing what had happened with you and your mother?" Sadayo remarked, unsure, but gave an apologetic bow. "I may not have been involved in all of that, but as a teacher I know full well how we can affect our students' lives. I'm sorry that you have to go through all of that."

Yusuke shook his head. "There's no need for that. I'm sure you've had your own challenges as a teacher yourself."

"Huh?" Sadayo raised her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"No need to worry about it," Akira interjected. "But anyway, what on earth did you buy?"

Yusuke chuckled, almost sounding maniacal. He gleefully presented a daruma doll to his audience's faces. "Behold!"

"Yusuke... where did you find this?" Akira asked in disbelief.

"It was in one of the secondhand shops."

"Huh, never thought I'd see someone sell one with both eyes painted," Sadayo, on the other hand seemed quite intrigued at the find. Leaning slightly, she took a closer look at the doll and tapped both of the doll's inked eyes. "I wonder if someone decided to sell it back after they completed their promise and painted the other eye."

"My thoughts exactly," Yusuke proclaimed, nodding appreciatively. "I'm happy to hear that you understand the significance of its appearance."

"Well I _am_ his Japanese teacher," Sadayo nodded to her observant student. "I would look bad if I didn't know this." She gave a small fist pump and grinned.

Yusuke patted his daruma doll again. "This here is a symbol of one's dreams made manifest. The achievement of someone who has overcome all obstacles to reach their goals. This, my friends, is the manifestation of passion."

"So you mean that this daruma is a representation of human desires?" Sadayo pensively bit her lip. "Leave it to an artist to find meaning in things others would discard."

Akira stood there as he both contemplated the daruma's meaning and the impromptu bonding moment of his friends. "If both of you are done, we should probably get you home, Yusuke. I should probably be leaving too."

Sadayo snapped from her thoughts.

"Very well. We shall take our leave," Yusuke proceeded to bow to Sadayo. "It has been a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh!" Sadayo's head kept switching between Akira and Yusuke. She shot a nervous look specifically at Akira before quickly turning to Yusuke to bow. "Thank you. The pleasure is all mine."

The two teenagers bowed goodbye and walked off towards the gates, leaving her to worry. She wasn't sure if Akira understood what she meant, but she couldn't clarify since someone else was there. But she already pushed herself to get this far; she couldn't let the opportunity slip by.

"Kurusu-kun!"

Thankfully, Akira turned to face her, despite generally fleeing from her this week.

Sadayo forced her nervous tongue to work. "About what I told you… will you let me know?"

Akira simply nodded before continuing on with his friend.

As they disappeared Sadayo felt a bit relieved as she sat down. She had managed to bring the subject to Akira and set up a meeting with him… but the hardest part was yet to come.

She knew Akira wouldn't let her down once he gave his word, so Sadayo figured it would be best to wait. She dithered between a nearby diner or her place, but considering the latter was nearer to Leblanc, she went home. By the time she arrived to her station the rain had let up, making her trek back much easier. Once she got inside she dropped her bags on the couch and went to the fridge. Her hand went instinctively towards the beer, but she stopped herself.

She was definitely nervous about the upcoming talk, and part of her admittedly was tempted to rely on good old liquid courage to help her through it. But it wouldn't feel right. Akira deserved better than his tipsy teacher coming in to happily reject him, or worse! He deserved more than she can give him, but the least she can do is to be sound of mind.

With that in mind, Sadayo's hand moved away from the can and grabbed hold of a bottle of iced tea. She sat down on her couch, awaiting for the eventual go ahead, reflecting back at her strange encounter with Yusuke Kitagawa.

"Kurusu-kun really does know a lot of people, doesn't he? A doctor, a politician, a… shop owner," Sadayo shook her head as she tried and failed to think of a better word for the ex-yakuza. And now I learn that he's friends with Madarame's former pupil. He really can't stop himself from getting involved with others, can he?"

Sadayo sipped from her tea, only to freeze mid-way when she came to a realization, one that she had forgotten about until just now. ' _Wait, how involved is he? He got involved with Kamoshida when he befriended Sakamoto-kun and Takamaki-chan. He apparently is also friends with Kitagawa-kun who suffered at the hands of Madarame, and while I'm not fully sure, I get the feeling that he was talking about Nijima-san when he talked about someone asking him for help with the student scam situation. If I remember right they managed to arrest the culprit on the news... because he confessed… because he was targeted by the Phantom Thieves.'_

The bottle was hastily placed on the table as Sadayo leaned forward to grab her head for support. "Wait wait wait. That's… scary levels of coincidence. But if I think about it, the only people that he spends time in school are Sakamoto-kun, Mishima-kun, Takamaki-chan and Nijima-san, three of which were victims of Kamoshida. And now I find that he's friend with Kitagawa-kun, a victim of Madarame.

Sadayo's thoughts now went to the whole issue with Nijima-san. She had contemplated before that the student council president might've been the one Akira had mentioned when he was pressed about someone asking for his help with the student scandals. The scandals that had become well known after the arrest of the culprit, which made many students gain courage to speak up about it. When the rumors of the extortions had been first mentioned during the teachers' meeting that Nijima-san had asked her to tell Akira to see her, but the reason she gave her turned out to be false. At first, Sadayo had thought that Makoto was confessing her feelings, an idea that knowing what she feels now, seemed very petty on her part. But then what Akira had said hit her.

 _"Just feels like she has way more responsibilities than someone of her position should have."_

The way he had said it made it seem like Niijima-san was being made to do much more than she could handle as a student. If that was the case, maybe she needed help. Help from someone whose rumors included facing down a gang and hospitalizing them. It was a ridiculous rumor, but if Niijima-san was against criminal elements... she needed someone of _almost_ similar status.

"I'm still not fully sure about Niijima-san, but if what I'm thinking is true, then she had asked Kurusu-kun to help with the extortion problem... and sure enough the guy responsible was targeted by the Phantom Thieves..."

Sadayo vocally repeated the same information, trying to see if she misunderstood things. But the logic coming from her mouth only strengthened how suspicious it all was. She stood from her couch and paced her floor, trying to remain calm on the matter. She thought back to anything she might have missed and was reminded of an outburst that Akira had told her about his past.

" _It was the same for Kamoshida and Madarame. Their victims felt alone, and unable to fight back. Because of that they felt like the only choice they had was to accept their fate. If there is anything that I can do to give them courage, then—"_

Sadayo pulled her hair as the possibilities raced. ' _Well, okay. I was starting to suspect that he knew who the Phantom Thieves are. These all prove to that that's a possibility. Him calling them out directly back then kind of helps with my theory as well. But why did he say that if there was anything_ _ **he**_ _could do?'_

She tapped her foot. ' _I feel like I'm missing something. If he just knows the Phantom Thieves, then why is he possibly connected to every single target? You'd think that they would target other big targets that aren't related to him in some way.'_

 _S_ adayo crossed her arm, trying to think back to the beginning of the school year, when he first arrived. ' _Now that I think about it, the group seemed to form soon after he came to Tokyo, and it did start at Shujin… with Kamoshida… a guy that he directly went against…'_ Sadayo was beginning to feel a bit scared at all the evidence that just suddenly started to pile up. She could see conclusion starting to form in her mind. She always felt like he was hiding something from her, but could this really be it?

Thinking that this was all just her overactive imagination, Sadayo grabbed hold of her iced tea and drank it down in one gulp. She slammed the bottle on the table with a forceful exhale, hoping that the actions would give her time to slow down her mind.

"Okay, so what? Is he like, their consultant, informant? He does seems to know a lot of people? People that he could be using to gather information, equipment? Leader, maybe?" Sadayo's eyes grew wide of such connotation. "Wait, no matter what he is, wouldn't that mean that he himself would be a part of the Phantom Thieves?"

' _I mean if he was a Phantom Thief that means that he would be— wait... those times that he looked — was — injured. He wouldn't tell me why he arrived to school so injured, but could it be related. The only other times that I can think of were the day after that mafia guy was arrested, and the other one was...'_

" _He said he got injured yesterday. I wonder what happened to cause that...?"_

"I went to Dr. Takemi's clinic on Wednesday, so the day before was Tuesday. That was when the Takases came to the school. He left after saying he would take care of it, and soon after they came back completely different people."

Sadayo was reminded of the determined expression on his face. But most of all, the lack of any sign of them being targeted. Unlike all the other targets, there was no mention of them of any kind, no news, no post, nothing. It was as if it was _personal_ , and most of all, it was sudden. Not even a day had passed and they had already been changed. It was rushed, urgent... as if they knew the stakes.

But the only one that knew what was going on with her was….

Sadayo felt like she was losing her mind, as if she just unraveled a dark secret. She ran her hands through her hair as she did her best to remain composed. "You're kidding, right? Him?! But how did he—?! When?!" Sadayo dropped her head to her hands, mumbling incoherently.

' _You have got to be kidding. So not only do I end up falling for one of my students. But he's also the part of the group of vigilantes that has been growing in popularity and infamy.'_

Her face turned sullen at this realization. ' _All those things I told him about them. How I thought of them, how much I hated them — I told them to him. But despite that, he didn't even hesitate to save me… He saved me… Just like he said they would, like he would...'_

Sadayo let out a frustrated chuckle, trying to bury her face even deeper into her arms.

"Seriously… As if refusing him wasn't hard enough."

* * *

After making sure that Yusuke was on his way home, Akira proceeded to head to Leblanc. The trip was quiet; he was able to tell that Morgana would look at him from time to time with concern, though no word came up which was a rarity for him. The rain never stopped. That was the second time he forgot to bring his umbrella with him, though at this moment he didn't care how soaked he was, taking his time to reach Leblanc in an attempt to delay the inevitable.

When reached the door, he finally noticed that the rain had stopped, maybe for a while now. Maybe just now. As if fate or whatever it is Chihaya always spoke of was mocking him. He opened the door, finding a mostly-empty cafe with only Sojiro and a familiar lady present.

"So you won't tell me, no matter what?"

"I have nothing more to say to you about that," Sojiro retorted to the lady, his annoyance visible.

' _What's going on here? Is boss in trouble for something?'_ Akira stood quietly, letting the door close behind him. It seemed that both were so focused on the other that they hadn't seen or even heard him come in, so he figured that he might as well hear what's going on.

The woman let out a sigh as she stood from her stool. "I see. In that case, I have ways of making you talk."

There was a moment of shock in Sojiro's face, though it was quickly overcome with anger. "Is that supposed to be a threat—?!"

"Thanks for the drink," the woman interrupted, unfazed by Sojiro's outburst. Picking up her bag she headed out, glancing at Akira as she passed him.

"H-hey! We're not done here yet!" Sojiro yelled out, but the only response he got was the jingling of the door opening and closing.

Akira peered through the door window. He could tell that the woman was going to be trouble from the first time she had visited weeks ago. The way she had just brought up the mental shutdown cases and so openly made it feel more like she was probing, and her discussion with Sojiro just now only helped to strengthen those thoughts. But why him? Could she be already suspecting him? Of what exactly? Was there something more to Sojiro Sakura?

"Hey boss, is everything okay?"

Sojiro seemed like a ticking time bomb to him, but whether because of their bonding or because he didn't want to dwell too much on what the woman said, he was able to regain his usual demeanor. "It's nothing. Just two adults talking. It's about time I close up so help me clean up." Sojiro looked at Akira now that things had quieted down, his expression slightly softening with concern from its usual hard edge. "What happened to you? You look like a drowned rat."

"If you hadn't noticed, it was raining until recently. The fireworks festival was delayed because of that, though we decided that the rain wasn't letting up so we called it early."

"No, it's more than just that. I've seen that look before. Anyway, there should be some spare towels by the shelf. Dry yourself off and come help me with the dishes."

"Yes Sir." Akira put the bag with Mona down and went to the bathroom. While his clothes were still wet and his hair still damp, he figured it was good enough. He hung the towel he used on a metal bar alongside his outer shirt before exiting the bathroom and grabbed his apron. The repetitive motions of scrubbing and washing the dishes were soothing, familiar, and most importantly, welcome distractions.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long.

"So whatever happened with that girl you talked about?"

Akira let out a long sigh. "Nothing happened, and nothing's going to happen. It's how it should be."

"So she rejected you then," Sojiro said in a deadpan tone. "That's how things are. Sometimes, the things that you wish for the most are unobtainable."

Having the issue that plagued him this week summarized in one measly sentence irked Akira. "What, you've been rejected before, Boss?" Akira snarked back.

"Listen here, you," Sojiro leaned on the counter with a confident smile. "I may be single now, but when I was younger I knew quite well how to treat a lady." His face then turned contemplative, looking around at the kitchen. "Well, I guess there was one lady..."

"So how do you get over it?" Akira asked, pausing to watch the Boss over his shoulder.

"You don't. Some things just stick with you and you always wonder about what-ifs. What would have happen if you have done things differently." Sojiro ran his hand on his head. Akira could tell that it was a hard subject for him, which didn't give him much confidence in his own situation. "But you're still young. And you know what they say, there are plenty of fish in the sea."

"Being young is part of the problem," Akira quietly murmured to himself. "And there may be plenty of fish, but there might be only one master fisherman."

"Hmmm? Didn't quite hear that."

Akira resumed his dish washing silently, letting the TV fill the silence.

 **On to other news… The international hacktivist group Medjed has released a statement to the Phantom Thieves...**

* * *

"When it rains it pours." Akira laid down on his couch after changing to his sleepwear, wanting to get out of his wet clothes. Medjed was challenging the Phantom Thieves, asking them to change their own hearts and join them. It was obvious to Akira that the group simply wanted to use them and their methods to go after more people. To complicate the issue, Akechi put the blame on the Phantoms, causing the public to voice concern. Luckily, their good will over the previous targets' arrests meant that despite this, there were people still cheering them on.

But his teammates were worried about it, currently up in a storm over in the chatroom. Akira didn't feel comfortable with the idea of charging in because of their threats. It could be a bluff or a stunt just to catch attention, but he didn't want to target people just because they're idiots. The last thing he wanted is to have innocent bystanders fear them, just like Sadayo did.

"Sadayo..." Akira turned to his phone. Everything could be moved to the side. Sojiro wasn't going to tell him about the woman he was talking to, and Akira honestly had little interest in Medjed. Only one thing was on his mind at the moment, and he was dreading it more than any Shadow.

"Hey, is everything okay?"

Akira turned to the concerned, now-dry cat who was sitting by the workbench.

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you've been down ever since... we dealt with the Takases. I thought you'd be happier about it, and you looked like you were at the beginning. But the next day, you just went all quiet on us." Morgana jumped down to come sit closer to him. "I figured that you were focusing on tests and keeping your head down after that whole incident in the counselor's room, but... it's been days now, and you're still acting like this. Heck, even Ryuuji and Mishima noticed and tried to cheer you up."

"Yes, and I specifically remember _someone_ fleeing soon after." Akira played out his confident smirk.

"That's because someone as refined as I has no business going to places like that— wait, no changing the subject!"

"I did no such thing. Just keeping my head down and avoiding any problem." Akira looked away, throwing a nonchalant shrug.

"You mean, avoiding Ms. Kawakami?" Mona noticed the small twitch coming from Akira. "Did something happen between you two? Like in the counselor room. I heard that she defended you, and she seems to be doing much better now after we helped her. But today when she wanted to talk to you, it was like you were trying to run away?"

Akira continued to look down, avoiding Morgana's blue-eyed gaze. "Just, preparing for the inevitable."

"Joker..."

Akira turned to Morgana. "Sorry, but is it okay if I talk to her alone? It's something that I need to do."

Morgana looked at him for a minute and then simply went towards the window. "Just let me know how it goes, okay?" He slinked through the frame before vanishing into the night.

Akira was tempted to close the window to make sure that he didn't come in too soon, but decided that if he came in, then so be it. He grabbed his phone.

[A]: You can come now.

[A]: It's just me and the door is unlocked.

[A]: I'll be waiting upstairs.

The room was quiet, only to be disturbed by the eventual responding tone.

[S]: I'll see you soon then.

Akira tossed his phone uncaringly on his desk, ruffling some of the cranes there. He leaned back against the couch, numb as his head hit the wall behind him, looking upwards the ceiling.

"I guess I really am 'The Fool'."

* * *

Sadayo stood nervously by Leblanc's entrance. As soon as she got the text message she freshened herself and quickly left for Yongen, mentally preparing herself on what was to come, what to tell him, what to expect. She thought herself ready, but as she reached out for the door, her hand hesitated.

"Come on, just get it over with. You have to do this. It's not fair to him. Do it for him." Sadayo told herself as her hand hovered over the door handle. One great inhale and exhale, and she managed to push herself to open the door.

It was quiet. The familiar aroma of coffee wafting her way admittedly helped to ease her mind a bit. She partially expected, maybe hoped, that Akira would be waiting for her by the counter, preparing nice cups for them to drink as they talked. Sadly, that wasn't the case. Sadayo lamented this a bit but continued on towards the stairs, figuring that the second floor was the only other location he could be at. Sure enough, she saw Akira waiting on his couch. She felt a little relaxed when he smiled at her, though she knew it wouldn't last long.

"Hey," Akira greeted, lighting up when he saw not the maid Becky, but Sadayo Kawakami. "It's been a while."

"Yeah..." Sadayo nodded, admittedly a bit happy to hear him sound much more welcoming than he was earlier this evening. She rubbed her arm awkwardly as she took her time to look at the room that she had spent many nights in. She frowned when she noticed that it was a bit dirtier than she had left it last. "Now that I think about it, this is my first time coming up here in my regular clothes. It actually feels kind of weird." Sadayo shook her head at the time she did go in regular clothes, albeit just in downstairs. "Oh did I tell you? I'm officially done with my part time jobs, and that includes the maid service."

"That's good. I'm sure it's a huge relief for you."

"Yeah, it is..."

The awkwardness from earlier returned between them. Sadayo looked away from Akira, having a hard time to look at his eyes. Her gaze then turned to the curious pile of paper behind him, origami cranes on the workbench. "Are those…?"

Akira turned behind him to where she was pointing at, and nodded. "Yeah. When you were in the hospital I figured I'd see how many I could do. Got a decent amount until I realized that it probably won't mean much once you're out." Akira looked away awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head.

"That's so sweet," Silly or not, Sadayo couldn't help but smile at the touching gesture. But it didn't help make her decision easier. She shook that thought off, trying to steel herself. "So, remember how I said I had something to talk to you about..."

"Yeah," Akira lost his momentary warmth as his voice dwindled to sadness. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for the blow. "So… what's on your mind?"

"Well, you see I… I've been thinking a lot, and there is something very important that I need to tell you. I want to be honest with you," Sadayo gripped her arm, her eyes wandering all over the room.

"I see… so, what is it?" Akira asked, a bit confused on her dawdling, but he kept himself ready.

"You see, the thing is…. the thing is..." Sadayo forced herself to look straight at Akira, pointing her finger suddenly. "You don't take very good care of yourself!"

"Huh?!" Akira gaped, flabbergasted.

"I mean, you let your clothes pile up and seem to only do it at the last moment. What if I wasn't there and you couldn't do laundry, what would you do then?! You need to manage your time better! Not to mention that you're working so many jobs; I mean I'm glad to see you be responsible and make your own earning, but you're a high schooler! You should enjoy your time! And your **room**!" Sadayo wildly waved her arms at the surrounding area. "I was only gone for like a week and I can already see the dust flying all over. I know you're not here often, but this is still your bedroom. Having all this dust while you sleep can't be good for you. Then there's the problem with your diet. Your curry is great and all, but you can't live just on that. And pre-mades aren't good substitutes for a healthy diet."

She didn't know why she went on this tirade. Maybe she wanted to lighten the mood, let out past grievances, or just delay the issue. Either way, Sadayo put a hand on her waist and continued her lecture. "I let all of these things go in the past because you were my Master, but you need to take better care of yourself now."

"H-hey!" Akira stood up in retaliation. "It's not like your eating habits are any better. If I remember correctly, instant and pre-mades were the only things you ate, and sometimes you wouldn't eat at all."

"I'll have you know that I'm in the middle of changing my lifestyle," Sadayo proudly proclaimed. "I'm making sure to eat well and I've been reducing my pre-made intakes. I've even started learning how to cook for myself… sort of..." she mumbled at the end.

"This coming from the person who ordered two pre-made lunches just recently," Akira deadpanned.

"Hey! I was in a rush and there were too many people. I just planned to buy and go, but then the rain delayed everything." Sadayo pouted.

The two stared down one another. Their eyes locked, anticipating who would give in first… until both burst out laughing.

"I just can't win against you, can I?" Akira commented amidst his laughter.

"Nope, you put me in this position. So I'm making sure that you go all the way to graduation. I'll support you 100%." Sadayo said with a big smile on her face. "So you better get ready."

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for what you have in store for me," Akira returned with a smile.

For that moment, everything had been forgotten to Sadayo. The fact that he was her student, that he was a Phantom Thief, that she planned to reject him. At that moment, all that Sadayo saw was Akira Kurusu. Someone she cared and worried about. Someone who felt and done the same way towards her. Someone who she felt like she could be herself and wouldn't reject her. All she saw was the student, no, the man she fell for.

Things fell quiet between the two, though the tension that had been at the start was mostly gone. Things were fine, good. Akira seemed perfectly fine to leave things as they were. He was smiling, even.

She was tempted to just end it here and then. Leave a nice, happy note to all of this.

But Akira's smile eventually faded as he lowered his head. "That's not the real reason that you wanted to talk to me, was it?"

Suddenly, that feeling of dread came back, making Sadayo turnher head once more. "No..."

Akira averted his gaze to the floor, his whole body sagging to the same direction. Not wanting to fight the crushing weight, he plopped back on the sofa. Silently waiting in defeat.

Sadayo swallowed the lump that formed in her throat, doing her best to finally let the words out. She had planned what to tell him. How to let him down. But in this moment, the only thing that came out of her was…

"I'm sorry."

"…Really?" Akira curled inward, leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees, his hands dangling lifelessly.. He had prepared himself for her answer. She wasn't the first girl to reject him after all, but he wasn't expecting it to be this heavy, considering how painful his previous attempt was. "I guess I saw that coming."

"I'm… really sorry." It pained Sadayo to see him hurt. A part of her wanted to sit down next to him and comfort him, ease him on the whole thing, but instead she continued to keep her distance.

"You have no reason to apologize. I mean, what did I expect?" Akira brushed his hair back with his hand. He tried to play it off as if it was no big deal, like it was one big joke. But it was obvious that it was affecting him. "I mean, your whole life got ruined because of dumb rumors between you and Takase-kun. You almost lost your dream job, your job that you worked so hard to honor your father's memory. And now that you finally have it back I go and tell you something like that. I even tried to kiss you. Of course you're going to hate me..."

"That's not true!" Sadayo burst, turning towards the pained Akira. "I don't hate you, and it wasn't an easy choice as you'd imagine." She looked down at her hands as they gripped her shirt. "I thought about it a lot. I was so confused about how I felt when you did that, that I couldn't stop thinking about it for days. But the truth is, when you told me your feelings," Sadayo blushed, gulping hard, "I was actually happy."

Akira raised his head to stare at her. He was at a loss about what he was hearing. It sounded like she was saying something, but he was having a hard time believing it.

"For a while now, I always felt something about you, but I always told myself that it was all in my head, that someone like him would never be interested in someone like me. That he already liked someone else. So when you confessed to me, when you told me your feelings, I was very happy, so happy that I couldn't stop smiling, so happy that it was scary."

Sadayo shook; it was both nerve wracking and relieving to say this. She turned her back on him. "I've never felt like this for anyone before. I didn't know what to do, so... I ran away. I left you alone without an answer because I was afraid of hurting you." She squeezed her shirt tightly to release her nervousness.

"So wait… You... don't hate me?"

Sadayo shook her head.

"And you actually... feel the same?"

Sadayo nodded, her face blushing bright red again.

Akira's hand was on his head, trying to comprehend what was happening, but the only thing that came out of his lips was,

"Holy shit."

Sadayo couldn't help but snicker quietly at his reaction. It was honestly very cute.

But she still needed to make things clear for him.

"But that's exactly why we can't be together," Sadayo tried to speak in a stern tone, wanting to make sure that she got her message through. "We're teacher and student, and you're already in a delicate situation as it is, especially now that the school seems so willing to throw you out if you do any sort of minor misconduct. As I teacher I'll do everything I can to protect you; I'll make sure that they don't expel you for petty reasons. But," Sadayo's lips trembled, "if we did end up together and we get caught, I wouldn't be able to protect you anymore. So I have to keep my distance, restrain myself… because you're so special to me."

' _She really thought about this a lot, hasn't she...'_ Akira thought. He felt like a giant weight had been lifted from him. The world felt lighter and hopeful than it had been the past couple of days.

Still, he couldn't deny the truth in Sadayo's words, but he also noticed that she barely mentioned her own risks. She did care for him, there was now no doubt in that. And it made him happier than stealing any treasure he'd find in the Metaverse. "Always the responsible one."

Sadayo chuckled at Akira's comment. "I'm really not. If I was I wouldn't have developed these feelings for you. I wouldn't be so conflicted about this and would have already done the 'responsible' thing." Sadayo hugged herself, gripping both her upper arms. "I want to be with you, I really do… But I'm scared. I'm scared of losing what you worked so hard to help me regain, to make all your efforts for nothing. I'm scared of you going to prison, of you losing your future because of me."

She tightened her grip on her arms, biting her lip as she tried to stay composed. "I'm scared… I'm scared of losing you, of being the reason that you're gone. If that happened, I don't know what I'd do with myself."

"Sadayo..." Akira stared at his teacher's back, at the back of the woman he loved. He thought she was upset for what he did, that the friendship that they had built had been ruined because of his actions. But here she was, confessing her feelings to him, that she does care about him, to the point of worrying. It made him happy to hear that and he understood her fears. But he made a promise to himself that if he could make her happy then he would take that chance.

Besides, if there was anything worth breaking the rules, it was being with the person most special to him.

Sadayo just held herself tightly as she heard him call her name, awaiting to hear his response so that she could finally accept things and move on. But to her surprise he didn't respond with words; she jumped when his arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. She gasped when he pulled her close to his chest, feeling his head rest over hers.

"Kurusu-kun…?" Sadayo whispered, her heart skip a thundering beat.

"I'll make sure that we don't get caught. I promise," Akira sweared, his determination and seriousness very clear.

Sadayo couldn't see his face, but she could imagine that look he has when he's stubborn to do something. As he held her close, she was remembered the time when he embraced her at the hospital. How warm, strong, but gentle he was. She melted in his arms, she feeling safe, assured that if anything happens to her, he'd immediately come to her side. Her hand slowly let go of her arms and moved upwards the the arms across her collarbone, up to the hands on her shoulders, grasping his hands closer to herself.

Still, she wasn't going to give up so easily.

"You shouldn't make promises that you're not sure you can keep."

"I'll do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't happen."

"Where does that confidence come from?"

"I have a lot of experience with this kind of things."

"It's because you're a Phantom Thief, isn't it."

With how close they are now, Sadayo could definitely feel Akira's body tense up. She slowly pulled his slack arms away, took a step and turned to face him. His shocked face greeted her, making Sadayo giggle.

"When did you realize—?"

"So it is true," Sadayo smiled victoriously. "Honestly, you gave me a lot of clues, but I think the big one was the whole thing with Takase-kun's guardians." Smug, she playfully poked his chest. "You always asked about their names, and when I finally gave it to you, they just so happen to have a sudden change of heart. That's waaaaaay too convenient if you ask me."

"Be that as it may, I regret that I didn't quickly take care of them." Akira looked upwards in embarrassment at the big trail that he left. Morgana was definitely right about him being reckless when it came to her.

"Yes, but it's your fault for constantly talking to me about the Phantom Thieves and the Phansite. I looked all over there and not once did the Takases' names nor mine ever showed up. You were the only one that knew about my situation, so that left you as the culprit."

"I guess you got me." Akira playfully raised his hands in surrender, before bowing like a showman. "I'm the one and only Joker of the Phantom Thieves."

"Joker?" Sadayo raised her brow at the odd name.

"It's the code name I go by as a thief."

"I see..." Sadayo placed her finger under her cheek pensively. "I'll be honest, I managed to figure who you are, but I still have no idea what it is that you do exactly."

"I'm sure you have plenty of questions, but I think that can wait. The real question now is, what will you do with that information?"

"Hmmm," Sadayo innocently pondered, "I could... call the cops. After all, the Phantom Thieves is a questionable group that have caused a lot of trouble from what I heard."

"That, is a possibility," Akira smiled nervously.

"I guess it all depends on you," Sadayo swayed in fake pensiveness before letting her mischievous grin finally show. "If I keep quiet, would you do… anything?"

"You're getting back at me for messing with you back then, aren't you?" Akira's answering smirk was similar to that incident back in June.

"You had your fun when you found out I was a maid, so now it's my turn," Sadayo pouted. "If anyone else had figured this out you'd be at risk. You need to think things more carefully."

"Fair enough," Akira smiled confidently as he raised his hands once more in playful surrender. "I'm in your hands now. If you keep it a secret, I'll do anything."

His stupid smirk made Sadayo glare back, half-astonished. Considering how hurt he looked just a short while ago, it was amazing and aggravating that he easily bounced back. "I don't get you at all! A moment ago, you look like a kicked puppy, but now you're back to your stubborn self. I told you that I figured out your identity; shouldn't that worry you?!"

"That was because I thought I had pushed you away, that you were disgusted by me," Akira explained without faltering from his position. "But now that I know your feelings, I have no intention of giving up on you." Akira's smile grew into a full-on smirk. "I'm sure you are aware just how stubborn I can be."

Sadayo scratched her head in agitation, growling, "Seriously, why are you so okay with all this? It's just not fair! I spent all this time telling myself that I needed to do this for you! That the only way to protect you was to smother any feelings I have of you! To keep my distance and simply smile as I see you walk way! Because if I didn't, I'd end up hurting you!"

She gritted her teeth, even as tears started to well. "Just seeing your cocky smile makes me feel dumb for trying back away, like I worried myself for nothing! I HAD **EVERY** INTENTION OF SAYING GOODBYE TO YOU!"

Sadayo's tear-filled eyes stared down the young man that stood before her. He never faltered during her outburst and remained where he was. Daring her to take him on his offer. It drove her crazy how reckless he could be at times, but she also had to admit that he had always been resourceful and confident. Akira wasn't the type of person to gloat without reason. If he was this confident even after she revealed his identity, then she was sure that he truly meant what he said about wanting to be with her.

A part of her wondered if she truly did want to end things here with him... or if in reality, she secretly hoped that his stubbornness would convince her otherwise.

He was right that she understood how darn stubborn he could be, stubborn enough that it felt contagious, like she didn't want to lose to him. Partly exasperated and vindicated, she was right in her thoughts about him when they had first met at the principal's office. Akira Kurusu was a troublemaker through and through, and he wasn't going to hesitate in giving her all kind of problems.

But now he was her troublemaker.

"Oh, fine!"

With a pout and blushing cheeks, Sadayo approached to wrap her arms around him.

Akira jumped slightly, staring in shock when Sadayo closed her eyes and buried her face against his chest.

"I'm mad at you, you know," Sadayo spoke up after a moment of silence. "You promised me that you wouldn't do anything dangerous because of me, but here you are, stealing hearts and getting hurt to help me." Her arms held him tighter,. "Why would you be interested in a woman like me anyway? You're a strange high school student with strange tastes."

While a part of Akira hoped this to mean what he thought it meant, he didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. Still, he slowly lowered his arms to embrace her as well, closing his eyes in contentment. "That might be true, but it doesn't change my feelings for you."

Sadayo could feel her head spinning from all the blood rushing up. She kept herself hidden, hoping that he wouldn't feel the heat from her red face. She clung to his clothes, buoyed by the steady heartbeat underneath. "Promise me you'll always come back to me."

"Huh?"

"If you want me to keep the fact that you're a Phantom Thief as secret, then promise me you'll come back." Sadayo raised her bright red face up towards Akira. She didn't last from his soft, gray eyes, so she pressed her forehead back against his chest. "I don't know how dangerous this whole Phantom Thief thing is, but I can guess that it's pretty bad if you come out injured. But I know you, and despite all the rumors that are going around, I know you're doing this to help people. People like me, right? That's sooooooooo you..."

Sadayo fully settled her head under his chin. "So just, please promise me that you'll come back to me."

She wasn't running away, and she was saying those things… it took a moment, but Akira finally got what she was getting at. Every amount of self-control was exhausted for him to stop himself from jumping in joy. Eyes bright, he placed his hand over her head. "Okay, I promise. After all," half of him couldn't believe that he can say this, "I can't date you if I'm gone."

"You better," Sadayo pouted, half-amused at the abrupt quickening of his heartbeat. "If you don't, I'm telling everyone."

"In return, I simply ask that you become a great teacher," Akira slowly pulled Sadayo away, though his hands found hers. "Since our previous deal is now void, I believe."

"Yeah…" Sadayo gave his hands a firm squeeze. "It's because of you that I finally realized my path as a teacher. A new path where I'll never abandon any of my students ever again."

"I have faith that you will, and I'll be there with you the whole way."

"I'm glad to hear that," Sadayo smiled. "I promise to be the kind of teacher that my father would be proud of, for my students... and for you."

The two just stood still happily, letting the moment settle in. When they first met they were transfer problem student and unmotivated teacher, then they became master and maid. Now they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Both never would had thought that their paths would cross like this, but were grateful to have found one another.

A rush of several emotions ran through Sadayo's mind, still wrapping her head about her new… _boyfriend_. "Let's take a seat, okay?" She pulled him towards the couch and sat down, stretching her legs as she leaned back. "I was so nervous that I couldn't sit down. I had no idea how this whole thing would turn out." Sadayo blushed as she poked her pointer fingers together. "But I have never expected this to be the end result..."

"Life can be unpredictable," Akira commented with a smirk, happy that for once, said unpredictability lead to something good for him.

"Mhmm, life really is a roller coaster, isn't it?" Sadayo nodded as she began counting up. "I went from being a teacher to being a maid to dating a high school student. Honestly, if you told me several years ago that that's how my life would go, I'd probably think they were confusing my life with some movie."

"It would be quite an interesting movie. A real tearjerker, but the ending made it all worthwhile."

Somewhat pleased, Sadayo turned to Akira, smiling mischievously once more. "Speaking of which, I guess that upgrades you. So… as someone who went from being my master to my boyfriend, do you have any requests for me?" She leaned forward, resting her head against her intertwined fingers. Voice much more provocative and enticing than she'd ever done in a long time, Sadayo coyly added, "I'll obey them, you know… even though I'm no longer a maid. It can even be from those _special_ services I told you about..."

Akira speechlessly stared, completely red with sweating palms. This was a side of her that he never thought he'd see. The amount of confidence she was exuding, the tone of her voice, the way she looked at him...

Even without considering what… _his girlfriend_... was asking, just those things alone did things to him. Things that he rather not tell her so soon after the miracle that just happened. He pushed and locked away the potential requests running through his head and went for the most chaste he could think of.

"I know you promised to protect me, but I want you to know that I'm here for you. So if you ever need me, don't be afraid to rely on me, okay?"

Sadayo pouted at hearing his response, though the color on her cheeks revealed her true feelings. "Don't be so conceited. You're younger, so you should be the one to rely on me."

After letting herself open, she felt a bit embarrassed with the answer that she got. Still, she couldn't deny that in a way, him not trying to jump too fast was a relief, even if she was the one instigating it. "But I think that answer deserves a reward." She adjusted her skirt, patting her lap expectantly. "Here... by all means."

"S-sure..." Akira boggled, but placed his head on her lap. He laid down, face upwards towards a smiling Sadayo, causing him to turn red once more.

Sadayo couldn't help but find Akira's reactions amusing, giggling at the previously-confident Phantom Thief. "I really can't tell with you. You seem like one of those that wouldn't pursue girls, but then your attitude make you seem more of a ladies' man. But here you are, so awkward and nervous."

"Sorry," Akira responded awkwardly, not meeting her gaze. He wasn't used to looking at Sadayo from this angle, and he didn't want to appear like he was staring at her chest. "I'm honestly kind of new to all of this."

"That's okay, we can take it slow." Sadayo stroked his head, the feeling of his hair between her fingers reminding her when she had placed her hand on his head in the counselor's office. Now though, she was able to enjoy how soft it felt in her hands. She chuckled as Akira let out a quiet yawn. "You sound tired."

"Yeah, haven't gotten a good rest."

"Then you should get some rest."

"What about you?" Akira looked towards Sadayo.

It was her turn to blush and look away. "I… would like to stay a bit longer with you. Is that okay? I'll make sure to wake you up before I go so—" She flinched a bit when she felt his hand gently caressing her cheek. She turned down to see Akira smiling.

"You can stay as long as want."

Her heart fluttered happily as she nodded. "Mhmm. Then get some rest. I'll still be here when you wake up."

It didn't take long for Akira to fall asleep on her lap, Sadayo herself was a bit tempted to set an alarm on her phone and lean on the couch to take a nap of her own, but her head turned when she heard meowing from the window.

"You scared me for a bit there, Mona." Sadayo whispered as the cat approached. She took a deep breath and placed a finger over her lips "Sorry, he's asleep right now, so it's probably not a good idea to meow so much."

Morgana looked at the scene with suspicion, not sure what exactly was going on. Is she having him still request her, why is he sleeping on her lap, and why does she seem more than okay with it?. Not sure what to do, Mona hopped on the table.

"You're really a smart one," Sadayo commented with surprise, not expecting the cat to comply with her request. She reached out to Mona and stroked his head, which got him to pull away. "But you continue to be very fussy about how people pet you."

Seeing that the cat actually moved farther to the desk, out of her fingers' range, she turned to Akira once more, amused at how quickly he fell asleep. "He must have been so stressed out about my response. But it must have been such a relief to him now. Still, it's so weird. I never would had thought that I'd be dating a high school student, let alone a Phantom Thief."

Morgana let out a loud prolonged meow on hearing this, causing Sadayo to jump at the sudden noise and Akira to turn in her lap.

"Shhhhh, what was with that meow?" Sadayo responded in shock.

Morgana grumbled as Sadayo scolded him. She could see him staring at his owner with narrowed eyes, and was wondering if he wanted something.

At that moment, Sadayo noticed a flash of light from the windows. She turned to the nightsky, just in time to see the light burst into an array of colors accompanied with small pops in the distance. "Huh, they must have continued with the fireworks since the rain had stopped."

Not too soon after, pings came from Akira's phone beside Mona on the workbench. Considering how frequently they were Sadayo guessed that his friends — possibly the rest of the Phantom Thieves — were reaching him about it. She contemplated on waking him up so he could meet with them, but after all that he and she went through together, Sadayo permitted herself this moment of selfishness to keep him all to herself for tonight. The window probably didn't lend itself to getting a good view of the fireworks, but from the lights still amusingly provided Sadayo her own little light show, happily enjoying the ever-changing colors on her boyfriend and his cat.

Eventually the show ended. Hours had passed by in that position, though she was used to lending her lap to some customers in her maid service. But this was the first and only time she enjoyed it, to the point that she was relaxed and ready to sleep. But Morgana's stare made her slightly self-conscious. She checked her phone and concluded that she had to leave. She shook the peacefully resting Akira. "Hey, sorry, but I should head out now."

Akira slowly opened his eyes and stretched his arms, careful not to hit the person he was resting his head on.

"Finally awake?"

Akira just laid there, admiring the sight, pleased to have her smiling face be the first thing he saw as he woke. "I don't know, I think I'm still dreaming."

"Flirt," Sadayo commented amidst red cheeks. "Come on you, up you go."

Despite his reluctance to leave his girlfriend's lap, Akira stood up quickly. He twisted his waist to stretch his middle, but then he noticed the cat on the desk.

"Is it around this time that you feed him? He's been staring at you this whole time." Sadayo stood up, shaking and stretching her legs. "Also, you got a bunch of text messages while you were asleep.

"No, I think he's just upset about… something else," Akira said dishearteningly, knowing that once Sadayo left he was going to have an earful. He then grabbed his phone near the glaring cat to check his phone to see what had occurred in the chat, hoping it wasn't something related to Medjed.

[R]: Guys! The fire works! the Fireworks are fricking starting again!

[An]: For Real!? I don't think we have time to make it!

[M]: I can sort of see them from my room, but it's not the most clear. How about the rest of you?

[R]: I'm close by so i can see them no problem!.

[An]:This is so unfair! I just got out of a bath!

[Y]: I'm wishing now that I had stayed at the Shack. I would had probably gotten a much better view from there.

[R]: Dude! Why the hell you thinking bout staying there?

[M]: Akira, Are you able to see them from your end?.

He quickly sent them all messages explaining that he needed a hot bath after getting soaked in the rain so he couldn't reach his phone.

"And yeah, they were just wondering where I was. I told them that I was busy," Akira pocketed his phone without guilt.

"If you say so..." Sadayo turned to the crane on the workbench. "Hey, is it okay if I take those cranes?"

"Sure…" Akira tilted his head in confusion. "I don't see why though. It's not complete after all."

Sadayo pick up the pile, relieved to see that they were already connected on a string. She flashed Akira with a smile. "Finished or not, you were thinking of me when you made these. It will give me something to think of you when I'm at home."

Akira rubbed his head, flustered at her open gratefulness. He couldn't meet her eyes. "If that is how you feel, then by all means."

"Thanks." Sadayo stored the origami in her bag, carefully organizing the papers to prevent them from too much squishing or from any potential rain. "I should head out. I guess... I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"I guess so. Let me know when you get home, okay?"

"Sure," Sadayo nodded.

"Goodnight, Sadayo."

"Goodnight…" Sadayo hesitated, but her blush was visible and she gave him a soft smile, "Kurusu-kun."

* * *

Sadayo turned on the lights as she entered her apartment and proceeded to look around. In her bedroom, she noticed the lamp and decided that it was a good place as any. Her bag was opened and the paper cranes were cautiously pulled out, then carefully dangle above her lamp.

"There. That should be a nice place," Sadayo smiled, then tilted her head. "Still, it is a bit sad that it's unfinished…"

At that moment, an idea took hold. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a message.

 **[May we find happiness** ]

The paper was folded into a crane and threaded to the string. Even with its different color and pattern, Sadayo happily nodded, satisfied.

"It will take some time, but who knows... a miracle might just come for us."

* * *

 **Yep, we finally reach this point. After all the hardship and struggles, Akira Kurusu and Sadayo Kawakami have chosen to be romantically involved with one another. By this point is when I'd have the Infinity ending theme from P5A send us off, as I quite enjoy, and seems fitting. (if you haven't listen to it I recommend it).  
**

 **Right** **now I have a lot to say.**

 **So I have to give a special shout out this time. Long before I had even thought of starting this story I was looking for content involving Sadayo, and especially stuff with Sadayo and Akira, being a bit sad that there wasn't that many. Then I ran into a link to what seemed to be a Fanfiction titled. "Temperance and Sin" from Cosmic Sky. At this point I hadn't really bothered reading any kind of fanfiction, but considering how little material I had found, I decided to give it a read. Turned out that the story was a novelization of the rank 9 and 10 of the Temperance confidant, with Akira's confession and then her accepting his feelings. I found myself really enjoying it and surprised how minor additions or changes like mentioning hre putting her hand on him when they sat together, or reading Akira actually talk to her as opposed as monthly imagining what he said, really improved on the scene in game.**

 **It was from here that i started looking for other stories involving the two, and I found some really fun stories, but just as the art, I saw a very low number of them. It was at this point that the idea started sparking in my head for wanting to write my own. And not just a short story about them, but retelling their relationship and how they fell, as I noticed at the time how almost all of them mainly focused on after their relationship had formed. Still, as I continued to write I always had that story in mind, wanting to make sure that when I got to this point that it'd be my own telling and story and not just a copy, and I feel that in a way that motivated to really expand on the game events and I can confidently say that I'm quite happy with hos it's turned up.**

 **So thank you Cosmic Sky for writing that story, You were basically my gateway into fanfics.**

 **Also thanks also go to SomebodyLost, who's been a big help withe these chapters, and Chessicfayth for their continued help in fixing up the previous chapter.**

 **But with that, We've finally finished the confidant route. Thank you so much to all that have followed along and left me their comments. I always look forward to them and make writing this all for you guys worth it. And with that we put this to a close...**

 **At least that if what I think some of you have been wondering. I've definitely have seen a fair share of comments/reviews asking me if this is the last chapter, or if I will be continue the story. It's always been a bit of minor gripe of mine that a lot of romance story/subplot jsut end when the two characters become a couple. After all everything isn't perfect once their together. There is still a lot to learn about each other, things to adjust, and trouble to get into, but now they aren't doing it alone, but together and I always find those intriguing. It will definitely be new territory as I no longer have the nice framework of the confidant to help me organize things, so I hope that you will be patient with me, Things are really going to open up now, with both Akira and Sadayo as a couple, as well as many other around them... So To answers all guy's questions on wether this is the end?**

 **I'll see you all in the next chapter...**


	17. Chapter 16

**I want to start by apologizing to everyone for the long wait for this chapter to arrive. While I expected it to take a bit longer, a lot of stuff happened during the past month that made it difficult to work on the chapter. While I can't promise that the next will will be coming sooner, I am already working on it.**

 **Most of these character don't belong to me, but to Atlus**

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

It was the start of a new day in Tokyo.

The sun slowly rose as many stores got ready to open for the day, greeting any who woke early enough to walk around the empty streets and alleys. Today was just a day like any other, a normal Tuesday as both students and adults got ready to continue the daily grind.

But for Sadayo Kawakami it wasn't just any other day. It was the beginning of her new life.

Sadayo yawned as she sat up and stretched. Idly, her hand reached for her phone to check the time; she still has an hour before the alarm goes off. She was still getting the hang of not having to wake up as early as she used to. Her body felt restless without having something to do, so she was having a hard time sleeping in, even if she wanted to.

Still, this was the first time in so long that she had a full night's sleep. So despite her early rising, Sadayo felt much more rested and energized. Dropping her phone on her lap, she twisted sideways to stretch enthusiastically. A particular angle made her notice the new ornaments decorating her lamp.

"So that… wasn't a dream. That actually happened," Sadayo numbly commented at the string of paper cranes. Inevitably, her mind flashed back to the image of lights illuminating Akira with changing colors on her lap.

She sagged back to her bed as she covered her red face, groaning, "I can't believe I'm doing this. What is wrong with me? I was supposed to reject him, not start dating him!"

Sadayo hugged her pillow and turned to her side. The view made her face another reminder of her new boyfriend — the partially wilted but still vibrant dahlia. Despite her complaints, she smiled.

"We're actually dating now, aren't we? It's all so strange that it's hard to believe. _Me_ of all people." She sat up once more, scratching her head as she analyzed what she had learned the night before. "Then there's the fact that the person I'm dating is also part of the famous Phantom Thieves. Wait," her eyes widened, "am I an accessory to his crimes?!"

Sadayo hung her head in defeat, before shaking it. "I guess he's been the talk of the school in more ways than one—"

Energy jolted through her body. "School! I need to arrive early to drop the exams!"

Though she was rushing, Sadayo couldn't help but appreciate just how different her apartment looked and felt compared to its state just a week ago, even if it wasn't by any means perfect. Occasional empty beer cans that she sometimes forgot to dispose loitored on the table. Large numbers of fully-graded exams that fought for territory on her table whenever she had to eat. Dark corners and smudges under the sink and bathtub lurked unimaginable horrors that she needed to tackle. She wasn't fully there yet, but as she had told Akira, she had made steps to improve her standard of living, inch by inch.

One noticeable improvement was the ample space in her kitchen. And while she was no expert, both Akira and her mom's tips had considerably improved her zero culinary skills, so Sadayo was able to confidently ready the rice that would cook while she prepared for the day. On the way to the bathroom, Sadayo disposed of the loitering cans and imposed order on her table, but the dark horrors were left alone for now. In the shower, she hummed a happy tune that was a medley of the theme song for one of the shows that she had just recently caught up to. Refreshed and out of the bathroom, she dressed and made some egg rice with soy sauce and brought her meal to the living room. Settling on her sofa, Sadayo made sure that all papers were accounted for while the news played in the back.

 **...and so, the Sugimura family have stated to show their support to Kunikazu Okumura, president of Okumura Foods, after his statement of showing interest in running for the upcoming elections. In other news, there has been no sign of response from the Phantom Thieves yet concerning the challenge that was posted last night by the group hacktivist Medjed. Many are still debating whether this is simply a prank or a serious threat considering Medjed's track record. We will keep you posted with any updates as they come...**

The moment the Phantom Thieves were mentioned, Sadayo stopped what she was doing and focused on the news, but there wasn't any new information afterwards. She swallowed her food as she stared at the assignments in her hand.

"Medjed… they're supposed to be that online group that... leak private information about people?" Sadayo looked at her phone with worry. "It's not very likely that they know who the Phantom Thieves are, but still, if they leak any info on Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo sighed, hoping that the miracle she wished for would come a early. "We only just started dating, and already we have problems. Can we really make this work?"

Suddenly her phone started to buzz, snapping her out of her thoughts. She quickly picked it up.

[A]: Good morning

With just those words, Sadayo could feel herself becoming giddy, unable to keep herself from smiling as her worries faded away.

[S]: Morning!

[A]: I can't stop thinking about last night.

Sadayo's face flushed, and she quietly grumbled about how he managed to make her red, even while he was miles away.

[S]: Same here.

[S]: I woke up to the cranes that you gave me and I immediately thought of you.

[A]: Then I'm glad I didn't get rid of them then.

[S]: Can't continue chatting though

[S]: I need to get ready.

[S]: Don't forget you still have a few more days before you start your vacation proper.

[A]: Sure. I'll see you at school.

"I'll see you at school..." Sadayo pursed her lips as she read that message aloud. Until recently, such a statement wouldn't have bothered her at all; she's a school teacher, of course she'd be there. Now though, that message made her heart race and her head blow a fuse as she slumped against her couch.

"What am I going to do with myself… Summer vacation can't come soon enough."

* * *

Sadayo knew that the moment she accepted Akira's feelings, things were going to get complicated. The whole trip from her apartment to Shujin was one lengthy mental preparation that didn't stop even after she dropped the exams at the faculty office. Now, outside room 2-D, she held a deep breath, paying no mind to the ruckus seeping through the doors. Many of her students were bursting with excitement now that exams were officially done and were making plans for vacation. Idly, she wished that she'd hear Akira's voice, but brushed that silly thought easily; he'd be keeping his head down and he wouldn't tell anyone if he had plans with his girlfriend, of course. Sadayo lightly slapped her cheeks and released her breath. She reached for the handle and unceremoniously opened the door.

"Okay, settle down everyone. I know you're excited but you're not done just yet."

During the roll call, she decided to take notice of how the students responded to her. Until recently she felt like everyone was looking at her with disinterest or scorn, though it seemed that that was abating, especially from Iseya-kun. But there were still such looks given to her from a number of students, like Takamaki-chan.

While her student's expression was softer, Sadayo could tell before even reaching her that Takamaki-chan seemed to have a look of uncertainty, as if she was trying to figure her out or something. Sadayo could only sigh at her student's continued scorn and mistrust, but she couldn't blame her for it. Of all the students in her class, she was the one she had failed the most, and she knew it would take a long time before Ann would forgive her, if at all. That concern began to weigh heavily on Sadayo as she continue calling up her students, but as soon as she reached a certain student she was overwhelmed by a different kind of emotion.

"A-Akira Kurusu."

The way he responded was so natural, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, but the smile he wore was a different story. His glasses were down, giving Sadayo a clear view of his gray-colored eyes. Eyes that were like windows from where she could clearly see the longing he had for her, causing her to become very self-conscious.

To hide her red face, Sadayo raised her notebook higher and quickly proceeded to call out the other students before turning to the chalkboard. Facing away made it possible to go through her announcements, but it was only near the end that she calmed.

She turned back to the class. Despite her better judgement, her eyes gravitated towards Akira, who seemed far too amused by her flustered reaction while being annoyingly more composed himself.

"Finally, as I'm sure you're all aware, the grades for the midterms have all been posted. For those that have passed I congratulate you in your achievement. As for the others…" Sadayo didn't let her annoyance seep through her sad sigh, "I know a lot has happened recently at school, so it might have been difficult for you to keep up with your studies, but please be more mindful of your study time. All of those that failed are expected to come to the supplementary course next week, in which we will be doing make up test by the end of it." A number of students audibly groaned at this news, causing Sadayo's expression to become much more stern. "Complain all you want, but trust me, in the long run you'll rather have gotten this second chance than keeping your present scores. If you don't want to go to these classes then be sure to do better next time."

Eventually the students calmed down, allowing her to end the homeroom. Her eyes turned to her trouble student once more, only to receive a cheeky wink. This caused Sadayo to rush out of the classroom and shut the door behind her, hastily moving away to the least populated areas.

"Geeeeez… That was much rougher than I realized," Sadayo groaned as she leaned against a wall, pulse racing. She moped, "And that dumb smile of his wasn't helping."

Sadayo held her notebook tightly. She was so happy and excited last night, but reality was fast to crash down once more. He would be frequently in her sights during her job as a teacher, a job that she could lose if anyone caught any hints of them. She needed to regain control, for both of their futures…

* * *

The plan was to meet up with Akira and talk to him during lunch period. She wasn't sure what exactly to tell him, but they needed to have a plan if they were going to survive the rest of the school year. Luckily, the classes after her homeroom announcement were easier since they didn't take place in 2-D, so she was able to concentrate on her job. And she actually didn't have a fourth period class, allowing her to take a breather at the teachers' lounge to think about what she wanted to tell him.

Or at least she would have…

"Are you sure you didn't see anything out of the ordinary?" Mr. Ushimaru persistently questioned the tired Mr. Inui.

Mr. Inui just sighed, his chopsticks still at hand. He was in the middle of eating when Mr. Ushimura started grilling him. "No, I didn't see anything. He just focused on his own test like everyone else."

"Bullshit! I'm certain he's doing something! Someone like him wouldn't hesitate to cheat to get what he wants!"

Sadayo wanted nothing more than to smugly tell him to give up, but she needed to be careful about picking her battles, lest the others start accusing her of favoritism. Besides, there wasn't much Mr. Ushimura could do but yell. He may be a stick in the mud , but he himself wouldn't try to break the rules to expel Akira; it was against his values after all. So it was probably best to not antagonize him any further.

Still, she felt bad for the others that had to deal with his constant pestering. Ms. Chouno seemed more than willing to argue back at him and she herself even more so, but poor Mr. Inui looked more tired by the questioning. After Mr. Ushimaru stormed off Sadayo made sure to clap her hands together in an apologetic gesture to Mr. Inui while mouthing a "sorry". His returning nod was fine, though he looked a bit awkward.

The rest of the lunch was thankfully peaceful, and once she was done, she disposed her trash and went off looking for Akira. She figured he'd still be in the cafeteria, and sure enough he was actually talking outside with both Mishima-kun and Sakamoto-kun, though the former seemed to be leaving. The remaining two quickly got wrapped in their talk, forgetting Mishima-kun and not noticing Sadayo meters away.

Mishima-kun gave Sadayo a polite bow as he walked by, causing her to return it, but when she turned back to call out to Akira a familiar black cat popped from his bag.

"MO—" Sadayo quickly slapped her mouth and instinctively hid behind the nearest corner . The two trouble making students were now wordlessly focused on their phones while Morgana just propped himself on Akira's shoulder. She could hear some faint meows, but from her distance she wasn't quite sure.

' _Why is Mona here?! Does he bring him_ _ **everywhere**_ _?! Wait... Is he that rumored cat that everyone at staff was talking about a while back? And Sakamoto-kun doesn't seem surprised. Is this normal?'_

All Sadayo could do was facepalm as she exasperatedly sighed. "I really did pick a troublemaker..."

Sadayo caught her bearings as she rounded the corner towards the two students. Of course, Morgana had vanished, probably back into the bag by the time she had reached them.

"Kurusu-kun, do you have a moment?"

Akira turned towards her with a polite, mellow expression. Probably because he was around his friend, which Sadayo was grateful for. "Yes, Ms. Kawakami?"

"There is something I would like to discuss with you, concerning your exam score."

"What's this about, Teach?" Sakamoto-kun interrupted. "Don't tell me that they still think he's cheating? Akira wouldn't do something like that so can't you just lay off on him?"

"I believe so as well, but after that stunt a certain **someone** pulled a few days back," Sadayo made special emphasis as she gave Akira a flat stare, who looked away innocently, "the school is very antsy about him. So they want to make doubly sure that he isn't causing any problems."

"Don't worry about it," Akira reassured his friend, "I know I didn't cheat so they can't have anything on me. And Ms. Kawakami has been helping me out so I trust her."

"If you say so dude." Sakamoto-kun glanced between them with concern as he kicked the floor. "I'll let you know if we find anything."

' _If we find anything?'_ Sadayo quelled her curiosity as she began leading Akira away, though she stopped a few steps before turning back to Sakamoto-kun. "Speaking of exams, I'm sure you already know, but I'm expecting to see you next week for the supplementary courses."

"Yes ma'am..." Sakamoto-kun lowered his head, left in defeat.

Sadayo led her student through the school, looking for an empty room. She was painfully aware of his quiet presence, reassuring yet also nerve-wracking. If it wasn't for their location, social status and even plain awkwardness, Sadayo would've reached behind her and touched him. Maybe pull him beside her, clasp his hand.

They finally reached the counselor's room but it was unfortunately occupied, so they needed to think of a new location to go to. In the end, the roof seemed like their best bet since it was prohibited for students to enter, so it was probably empty at this time. _Probably_ , because if Sadayo was now rulebreaking — in front of her troublemaker, no less — why wouldn't the other students do the same?

Sadayo was the first to step out, shielding her eyes from the sun for a bit as it shined brightly above the clear sky. It was thankfully empty, but she noticed boxes arranged like a small garden, full of assortments of flowers and other plants. The flowers were ones she'd never seen before, and she couldn't help but crouch and take a closer look.

The metal door clanged close behind her. Sadayo turned back to her student, puzzled at his furrowed brows and shut eyes, serious and alert. Then he opened his eyes and wiped off his pensiveness with a smirk.

"So, how much l trouble am I in, sensei...?" Akira asked playfully as he strolled to Sadayo.

Sadayo pouted at her student's confidence; his momentary seriousness aside, it really was surprising how quickly he could shift his mask. But it was different than the time he came to her aid from Ms. Chouno; a softness that wasn't there before, especially from how he called her sensei.

She stood up and approached him with a stern look."It's mainly just Mr. Ushimaru. He's been questioning the other teachers, but I wouldn't be too worried about it."

"I bet he's having a conniption fit because the ' _good for nothing criminal'_ ranked so highly."

"Kurusu-kun… I know he's a hardass, but you don't need to act so smug about it. You shouldn't do well just to prove him wrong," Sadayo spoke disapprovingly.

"You were probably thinking the same," Akira deadpanned.

"I refute those claims," Sadayo feigned ignorance.

"Fine. Is there another reason you called me?"

"What makes you think so?".

"I don't know, you tell me." Akira mischievously grinned. "I think I deserve a reward for doing so well in my exams. Don't you agree sensei—"

"Denied," Sadayo gave his head a light bop with her notebook. "That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. If we are going to do this, then we need to set some ground rules."

"Ground rules?" Akira straightened, pulling away from her notebook with a curious expression.

"We may be… you know… together..." Sadayo nervously fidgeted, which amused Akira to no end, causing her to snap back. "But as long as we're at school we're just teacher and student, got it? That means that we have to make sure to address each other properly. So while we are at school, you need to only refer to me as Ms. Kawakami. Do I make myself clear?"

"Shouldn't sensei be available as well?" Akira playfully asked. "I mean it's not uncommon to hear students call teachers as such."

"Not in the tone that you do…" Sadayo retorted, blush obvious in her cheeks which widened Akira's smile. "Fine, but push it and I'll prohibit it as well. Next: any sign of physical affection is not permitted. That means no hand holding, no hugs and… well, depending on how things go, others actions will be added to the list. And finally," Sadayo quickly jumped to the next topic, wanting to forestall Akira from making one of his comments. "I can't show any more favoritism towards you than I've already have. It's already dangerous enough since I'm being held responsible for your actions as your homeroom teacher now, but if we… ever get caught, I want to make sure that nothing can be held as evidence of me helping you in any manner that I wouldn't have done with my other students. And that includes rewarding you for your grades."

For a moment, Sadayo noticed some discomfort from Akira when she mentioned about them getting caught. While she hoped that it wouldn't happen, she was experienced enough to set realistic expectations for this scenario. And she wanted to make sure that his already-delicate future wouldn't be ruined, so it was best to be prepared, just in case.

Luckily, Akira bounced back immediately, acting disappointed. "Wouldn't a girlfriend to be very happy that her boyfriend did well?"

"Don't say that so openly!" Sadayo hushed Akira in a panic, looking around despite the emptiness of the roof. "What if someone was nearby and heard you?!"

"Don't worry, no one is nearby. It should be safe for us to talk as long as we aren't too loud," Akira confidently spoke.

"Why are you so sure of that?" Sadayo said with more annoyance than she intended, frustrated at how lax he seemed about the whole thing.

"Phantom Thief reasons."

"Uh huh… And is there any chance that you'd tell me what that entails at some point in the near future?"

"I don't know… I mean those are very important secrets," Akira pondered for effect, reminding her of that night when he found out about her maid job. Unlike then though this gesture of his was more amusing than threatening.

"Sorry, those two things are completely different. No matter what, in the end of the day I'm still your teacher. And **as your teacher** I'm very happy and proud at how well you did, but you should be working hard because you want to better yourself and work on your future, not some reward that will only motivate you to remember the answers and then forget about them. Meanwhile, you are off doing god knows what and getting into dangerous situations while I'm just left worried while I wait for your safe return. I think, considering those circumstances I at least deserve to understand what you do better. So there," Sadayo childishly stuck her tongue at Akira.

Akira took it well though, letting out a small chuckle before returning to that same look of longing he has been giving her since this morning. "I guess that's fair. But we'll do this slowly, okay? One question a visit, otherwise we'd be at it all day. And as much as I hate to admit it, even I don't have all the answers."

"I guess I can accept that..." Sadayo relented, unable to look at him directly again. "And would you stop looking at me in that way?"

"What do you mean?" Akira asked, genuinely confused by her order, but amused nonetheless.

"THAT! That's what I'm talking about!" Sadayo pointed at him, not lasting long before she needed to hide her flustered face. "Stop looking at me with that smile while we're in class! It's way too stimulating!"

Realizing what she meant, Akira laughed. "Sorry, but I can't help it. When I look at you I'm reminded of last night and I can't help but smile."

"How am I supposed to respond to a line like that?" Sadayo mumbled to herself, defeated, but also happy to hear him say that. "Just... keep it to a minimum, okay…?"

"I'll do my best."

"Thanks… We should probably head out now before someone comes up here."

"Before that," Akira interrupted, now the one who was hesitant, "I understand that we can't do anything here, but… are you available to come tonight?"

Sadayo was surprised at the request, but took little time in responding. "I should be available… You have my number so you can call me when you think I should come. Just make sure to use the public phone; can't risk having our numbers call each other directly."

"If I remember correctly someone already did that," Akira's confidence was back at her affirmative, smiling mischievously.

"I was upset at you for contacting me after everything I told you. It was a hasty move on my part and one we shouldn't risk repeating, especially now." Sadayo's glare didn't have much heat since they both knew that the call greatly helped her. "Anyway I'm heading out."

Sadayo walked past him, reaching for the door handle, but it twisted, revealing Ms. Chouno.

"Oh there you are Ms. Kawakami, I've been looking all over for you. Why are you on the roof?" Ms. Chouno curiously looked behind her paling co-worker. "Was anyone here? I thought I heard you talking when I got close to the door."

Sadayo nervously turned around, but to her surprise, found no sign of her trouble student. She quickly regained her composure as she turned back to Ms. Chouno with a smile almost similar to Becky. "Y-yeah, sorry. I needed some fresh air so I went up here for a bit. I was actually talking with my mother on the phone. She's leaving late this Thursday, so we were discussing plans to meet."

"I see. Well, sorry to bother you, but apparently Principle Kobayakawa finally decided to speak up. Seems we are having an inconvenient emergency assembly on Monday the 25th about the recent events at school."

Sadayo's face quickly turned sour. "The 25th? Really? Couldn't we do it some point this week?"

"Apparently not?" Ms. Chouno spoke with similar annoyance.

"As if the students need more reason to be upset with us," Sadayo sighed in defeat.

"Either way, I'm just letting you know. I wish you luck in passing the news to your class."

"Same..." Sadayo waved as Ms. Chouno took her leave, making sure she was out of sight before letting a long exhale of relief.

"That was a close one."

"What the—!" Sadayo jumped, swiveling at the sudden reappearance of her student. To prevent potential onlookers, she pushed him out of view from the door and resisted the urge to strangle him. "Don't scare me like that! How did you—"

"Phantom Thief," Akira immediately responded with oozing smugness. "Need to be as nimble as a cat if I'm supposed to do my thing."

Sadayo grumped at how confident he was, but had to admit that it helped out this time. "You know that response is only going to make me more curious about you… Anyway we should head before another incident happens. I'll go on ahead."

She moved back to the door before suddenly turning back to Akira with a stern look. "Oh, and speaking of cats, I expect a good explanation from you tonight for why you've been bringing Mona to school with you this whole time." Her expression quickly changed to a smug smile of her own at Akira's shocked face, feeling vindicated. "See you in class."

Akira speechlessly watched his girlfriend exit, once again marveled by her wit. He could feel Mona's disappointment, but Akira just smiled to himself in resignation.

"I just can't win against her."

* * *

Deciding that there wasn't much info about Medjed nor any of his friends needed help at the moment, Akira decided to help Sojiro a bit at the shop. Not that he was really needed today, the shop was mostly empty, and the only person that had come in in the last hour was about to leave. The place rarely had many customers, and for as long as he had lived here, the most people he'd seen at once was actually when his friends came to visit for their study session. Still, in a way, the peace and quiet was probably why he enjoyed working here.

' _A nice little spot off the beaten path, where one could just sit down, forget about their problems and stress, and find some peace with a warm drink and a warm meal.'_ That's how the cafe was described to him and his parents by a friend when he mentioned this place to them.

When he first moved in, he hated it, hated that he was made to live in a dirty attic like some unwanted or outdated property, angry at the person that had convinced his parents that coming here was a good idea. But as time had passed he had started to warm up to the place. Then he started to work for Sojiro and gained an appreciation for coffee and the process it took to brew it.

And finally was Sadayo. When he requested her more and more, he began to appreciate the atmosphere the place gave, especially at night. The lighting, the quiet, it all provided a comforting feeling when the two of them were alone together as he served her coffee and she kept him company. Akira cherished those moments now, and wondered if Sadayo felt the same way.

' _I wonder what kind of brew I should make for her this time,'_ Akira happily thought, his mind already going overdrive about tonight.

"What's gotten into you?"

Akira snapped from his thoughts, turning toward his guardian. "What do you mean?"

"You've been smiling nonstop since you got here. You're scaring the customers."

"You mean the one customer that left happily?" Akira joked, not bothered at all by Sojiro's comment.

"I'm starting to miss the days that you didn't talk much," Sojiro responded with a world-weary sigh.

"You're the one who agreed to take a random stranger in," Akira smirked as he wiped the vacated table.

The bell rang, causing both to turn and look at the doorway as a man with short hair and a rumpled suit came barging in, visibly tired. Akira recognized that harried demeanor anywhere.

"Hey boss, it's been a while—" The man stopped in his tracks when he saw the boy by the table, his tiredness fading as a big smile spread on his face. "Well, if it isn't Akira-kun! It's been a while!"

"Hey, Uncle Tetsu, you look exhausted as ever."

The man that had just come in is Tetsuya Sawada, someone whose Akira's parents have known before Akira was even born. He was a constant figure in his childhood, and considering that neither his parents have siblings he was the closest thing he had to an uncle. In particular, he was the one that had talked to Sojiro about Akira's situation, thus leading to his current arrangement.

He took a sit on a stool by the counter as he messed with the crook in his neck. "Well, your mother has been keeping me busy, so I've been going back and forth a lot. Anyway, how have you been? I haven't even seen you since you came here."

"Well, I'll be honest, I really wasn't in the mood to talk to you when I first moved in here," Akira spoke bluntly as he put the cup and dish of the previous customer to the sink and began washing.

"Yeah, I figured," Uncle Tetsuya slumped forward. "Boss had told me that you weren't the happiest when you first arrived."

"I'm still can't believe you didn't tell him the details on the housing arrangement," Sojiro huffed.

"I arrived thinking I'd get a room, and I end up in a decrepit old attic. You could only imagine my shock," Akira joined in.

"If you still have a problem with the arrangement you're more than welcome to leave," Sojiro snarked.

"After all the effort that I—" _a_ nd Sadayo "—put into it? Not a chance. Still, it would had made things easier if I had been given all the details so I could had made preparations." Akira eyed his uncle with a flat stare over his shoulder, joined by Sojiro.

"Come on guys. What's with those looks?" Tetsu nervously laughed before perking up again and turned to Akira, studying him. "But you seem to be doing well? And from what Boss tells me you've even made friends!"

"Uncle Tetsu, I'm fine." Akira turned and leaned against the sink, smiling happily. "Honestly, I was frustrated at first, but it didn't last long; I've just been busy with a lot of things. So I'm usually not at Leblanc during these hours."

"That's good to hear." Tetsuya let out a sighed in relief at hearing this. "I know it wasn't the best arrangement and I admit I probably should've informed you about your living arrangement, but your parents and I just felt that you needed a change of scenery, but we were worried that if you knew about it then you'd straight-up refuse."

"It's not the most conventional place, but it has its advantages."

"Again, you're free to leave," Sojiro remarked, only slightly annoyed at Akira's constant remark as he brought Tetsuya his cup of coffee and curry, which he was thanked for.

"Sorry, but I already told you that you're stuck with me," Akira smugly said, which amused Tetsuya. Akira then turned to his uncle. "So… How are mom and dad?"

Tetsuya paused as he was about to dig in and looked at his nephew, confused, wondering why he was being asked. Thankfully, he was willing to answer his questions as he put the spoon down. "They seem fine the last time I was with them. I'm not sure how much you've been told, but the store is repaired, so Jou-san is back at it. Customers are still not as frequent though, but they seem to be managing. Akisa-san has been keeping herself busy, which in turn has been keeping me busy. She's doing her best not to think about it, but she's been worried about you."

"That's good. I'm glad to hear that things are moving forward for them," Akira deflated with a sigh of relief.

"You know, you could have just asked them yourself? I'm sure they'd be happy to hear from you directly rather than the occasional report I give them whenever I drop by. Sure would appreciate if a bit of that load was taken of my back.."

Akira shook his head in refusal. "Sorry Uncle Tetsu, I just don't think that's a good idea. I just wanted to know how they are doing, that's all. After everything I put them through they deserve some time without me dragging them down."

Tetsuya looked at him with a sad stare. "Akira-kun, you know that's not how your parents see things. They wouldn't have sent you all the way here if they could had helped it."

Akira chuckled at Tetsuya's concerned expression, though happy to hear him say it. He knew it was true, but admittedly it was still reassuring to hear it, even if it was not directly from his parents. "Mom and Dad didn't, but the rest of the town sure did. And don't get me wrong, I'm glad you guys convinced me to come here. If I hadn't I would still be stuck in that rut I was in back home." Akira's smile became warmer as he thought of all the companions that he's met since coming, and most importantly, Sadayo. "I wouldn't have met all the people that I've become close with."

"Sounds like you've found some good friends," Tetsuya said cheerfully. "You definitely sound much better than when I last saw you… Actually, you seem even happier than before the incident."

"You wouldn't have thought that if you saw him last night though," Sojiro added, just as curious at Akira's mood. "Last night he looked like a soaked, kicked puppy, but today he's being all smiles, which is odd considering what had happened to him. Either he's quick to bounce back or..."

A bad feeling grew in Akira as a light bulb lit over Sojiro's head as the old man began to smirk. Not liking where this might lead, he went back to work on the dishes, hoping that that will keep away questions. Part of him was starting to regret mentioning those things to Sojiro, a feeling that was only strengthened when the Boss chuckled.

"So much for ' _Nothing's going to happen'_ ," Sojiro asserted, sounding more amused than Akira would've liked.

"What? Did something happen recently?" Tetsuya asked in confusion as he stuffed himself, looking at the other two for answers.

"It's nothing," Sojiro replied, much to Akira's relief.

"Don't give me that..." Tetsuya lowered his head dejectedly. "Come on, what's with the secret? Is it a girl? Did Akira-kun get a girl? I'm sure Jou-san and Akisa-san would be more than happy if they knew Akira-kun had found someone. Especially Akisa-san!"

' _I know she would. That's exactly what I'm worried about.'_ Akira thought worryingly. He kept his head down and focused on the dishes in hopes that the conversation would pass.

And it seemed that it did, as Tetsuya reluctantly took the hint and focused on his meal while Sojiro cleaned the equipment. Meanwhile, the news on the TV shifted from the recent incidents and mental shutdowns to the leaked information on certain companies, many theorizing it being the act of Medjed. By this point Akira was now in the process of wiping the tables as they got ready to close.

"So… I'm guessing that means that you're over Hana-chan, then?" Tetsuya finally spoke as he finished his plate.

For a second, Akira's body tensed, though he quickly regained composure and continue with his duties wordlessly.

"You know she's been coming to your parent's a lot lately, asking them about how you've been," Tetsuya continued on, either oblivious or prodding, Akira didn't face him to make sure. "She's also been asking me if I've seen you when I come over here — wanting to know if you've asked about her."

"That's strange. Why would she do that? I thought she didn't want anything to do with me." Akira couldn't hold the sarcasm from dripping with every word, making the other men audibly pause. He ran his hand through his hair with a frustrated groan. "Sorry… that was uncalled for."

"That was quite a reaction coming from you," Sojiro remarked as he walked towards Tetsuya. "What's this about?"

"Don't worry about it. Just a friend of his from back home," Tetsuya responded, not as surprised by Akira's unintended response, but saddened with how things turned out, considering how long he'd known both of them. "If it's any consolation, she told me to tell you that she's sorry. That she regrets what she did, that she wishes that she could take it back."

Akira heaved a heavy sigh, not pausing his table cleaning nor turning to face Tetsuya. Memories of that tear-filled evening having been fresh in his mind after being reminded of it when he's confession caused Sadayo to flee Leblanc. "It's fine… It was my fault as well. I snapped at her without thinking about how she must have been feeling. I was selfish and I don't blame her for anything. But…" Akira finally turned to Tetsuya, his expression not too pleased, but accepting. "I know it's not fun, but... can you please tell her that I'm sorry, but it's too late to go back to how things were."

"I see..." Tetsuya nodded as he stood, putting his payment on the table. "Sorry for bringing that up. I should be heading out." he walked by Akira putting his hand on his shoulder as he smiled. "It was good to finally see you. And I'm happy to see that you're doing well. I'm sure your parents will be happy to hear that. And don't worry, I'll be sure to let Hana-chan know."

"Thanks." Akira returned a confident smile and a nod back at him. "You take care of yourself too, Uncle Tetsu. I know how mom can get when she's deep in her work."

"No kidding..." Tetsuya body slumped down again, thinking of what awaited him. "Ever since you left your mother has been making me pull double duty." He quickly straightened himself, turning back to Sojiro to give a grateful bow. "Again, we can't thank you enough for offering to watch over him."

"It's nothing. The kid's surprisingly handy around the shop, so I guess it works out in the end," Sojiro responded, unfazed by Tetsuya's gratitude.

Tetsuya stood, chuckling before turning towards the door and walking out. "I'll see you around, Akira-kun."

The bell rang once more, signaling the departure of their last customer for the day.

* * *

It didn't take long after Tetsuya left for Sojiro to take his leave as well. Though not before asking Akira about his situation with Hana. Akira was luckily able to brush it off as something from his past and he rather not dwell on it too much, something that Sojiro seemed too willing to accept than Akira expected him to.

Meanwhile on the chat, the group continued to discuss their thoughts on Medjed and while Akira still paid attention to it, his mind was on other things. Finally done with the clean-up and the set-up for the anticipated event of the night, he hurried towards the phone. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he was on the verge of dancing when he got his girlfriend's text that she was done for the day.

"Hold it!"

Akira halted like a vinyl scratch and swiveled to Morgana sitting by the stool behind him, having been hiding upstairs until now.

"We need to talk."

"I figured you'd say that..."Akira sighed, taking a seat to face Morgana.

Morgana had been giving him a _look_ ever since he entered the scene last night. He didn't say any disagreements — yet— but Akira had felt the displeasure that radiated from his bag the whole day, more so when he had met Sadayo in school. He had been able deflect any questions with the valid reasons that he was too tired, needed to get ready for school, and that the cat couldn't be seen in public. Akira even had to admit that part of the reason he helped Sojiro at Leblanc earlier than he usually does was because Morgana would had to stay upstairs since Sojiro didn't like Morgana being around during work hours.

But of course, Akira couldn't delay forever. It was now time to be open with his furry partner-in-crime.

"Sure, I figured you have a lot of questions in mind."

Morgana glared at Akira, not pleased by how disengaged he seemed."Fewer than you think. I think I got most of it pieced out considering how odd you had been acting after we took out the Takases and what I heard Ms. Kawakami say while you were asleep. And like I said, I could see how you felt about her, and… I could kind of see the signs on her as well."

"That would had been nice to know" Akira scoffed at Mona's last statement. "Could had prevent a lot of restless nights."

Morgana groaned. "I didn't tell you because I worried that something like this would happen! I understand why you got curious about her even though I thought that it was a bad idea. I understand wanting to help her out. Heck, I was with you the whole way when it came to taking out those two scumbags and save her, but _this_ is beyond risky! I mean, I knew she was attracted to you, but I never expected her to actually follow through."

"Yeah, I was so shocked that it took a while to sink in what was happening," Akira sagged in relief.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Morgana burst out, getting tired of Akira's carefree attitude.

"I know…" Akira sighed, leaning on his hand as his expression became serious. "We both know how dangerous and tricky this could be for us, considering our situation. You heard her earlier today, didn't you?"

"And yet you felt the need to slip her a note when we were leaving school. And yes, I heard everything, including the part about her knowing about me being at school, or how she seems to be fully aware that you're a Phantom Thief — something that I feel is worth mentioning?" Mona's cat eyes narrowed to a suspicious glare. "You better not have told her that you're a Phantom Thief to win her over."

"I didn't," Akira replied with irritation. "She figured it out on her own. She managed to get enough clues to piece stuff together. And for your information, even with all of that in mind, she was still going to refuse."

"That still means that you let her see too much! Did you forget what I told you about you being careless? How much do you plan to tell her?"

"I know, I know," Akira said, knowing full well that he was right in that front. "But what happened can't be changed. She's already promised to keep things secret, and as for how much I'll tell her, I'm not sure. It's why I set the rule that she can only ask one thing per visit. It should give me time to figure out what things are off-limits, but you have to admit that she gave a good point. She understands that our job is dangerous and she is willing to be patient with me, but that won't stop her from worrying, and I can't blame her. I think it's only fair that she knows what exactly we are getting into. Plus, maybe having someone outside the group know could be beneficial to us, helping with alibis or excuses and such. I mean, she didn't rat us out about bringing you to school so we know she's willing to help us out if we need it."

Morgana stared at Akira for a few seconds before letting out an exasperated huff. "I'll think about it. But I will say that if you intend to tell Ms. Kawakami about it, then I think it's only fair that you let the group know that she knows about you, and might be aware of the others. This one is on you."

Akira deflated, and once again his expression changed, not looking forward to the group's reprisal and Ryuuji's teasing for letting their secret slip again. "Are we done for now?"

"Not yet. I want you to be really straight with me. I heard the talk you had with Sojiro and that Tetsuya guy. What was this about a Hana? You told us all about what happened at your school and your parents, but you never mentioned her. Why—"

"Sorry, but can we not do this?" Akira interrupted with clear agitation, yet doing his best to remain calm. "She's just someone that I thought I could trust, but that wasn't the case. Just another thing that I lost because of the arrest."

Morgana silently studied Akira's reaction, which wasn't helping. Thankfully, it didn't last long as Morgana gave a sigh, signaling the end of his interrogation. "Fine, go on and call your… girlfriend." Morgana couldn't help but roll his eyes before wandering off.

"Thanks," Akira quickly rushed towards the public phone and dialed Sadayo's number. The phone rang for some time, but eventually, the person he had been looking forward to be alone with the whole day nervously greeted him.

"H-hello? With whom am I talking to…?"

"Sorry for the wait, Becky..."

* * *

No one said that winning her students' trust was going to be easy. Sadayo knew this and had prepared herself for the long road ahead. But that didn't mean that their egghead of a principal should make things harder! As Sadayo expected, the classroom was not happy about finding out that they'd be spending the half of their first day of summer at school because of something they had no control over. A good chunk of the class was spent with her having to quiet down the class and although she understood their sentiments perfectly, all the complaining in her class irritated her.

The faculty meeting wasn't any better, with the teachers being just as frustrated about the whole thing. Tests were done, summer was about to start, so why couldn't they take the time during homeroom to do this assembly? Not to mention that a good chunk of the meeting was mostly spent trying to figure out what else to warn the students about things that were already mentioned countless times now. Watch out for any sudden runaway trains? Don't take offers from sketchy people? Don't say any irresponsible things if anyone asks about school? Was it even worth it to ask them to keep talk of The Phantom thieves to a minimum? By the time the meeting was done the day was ending and everyone was exhausted.

But despite all of this, things weren't all bad. Right before the faculty meeting, as the students were leaving, Akira had apparently decided to stay seated for a bit longer, preoccupied by something he was doing. Sadayo was about to ask him why he hadn't left, but then he stood up and left quietly, not even waving her goodbye. Sadayo had told him to keep things professional, but she admitted that it stung a bit to see him leave so indifferent. As her eyes went back to her desk she noticed a small paper crane on his table. She walked towards it and picked it up with curiosity. Was he telling her something, was this supposed to be some sign, or was he just simply zoning out? Shrugging that he left it for a some reason, Sadayo decided to unfold the crane.

 **[Looks like you had it rough. Message me when you're free, I'll treat you to some coffee and curry. On the house.]**

"Seriously... what part of keeping things professional at school doesn't he understand?" Despite Sadayo's protest, she could feel herself smiling, holding the note close to her chest.

By the time she finished work and got home the sun was already gone. She messaged Akira and proceeded to sprawl on her couch. She was tempted to take a small nap but worried that she might oversleep if he called. Luckily for her she didn't have to wait too long for her phone to begin ringing. Sluggishly getting up from her couch, she reached for her phone when it occurred to her that she never knew Leblanc's phone number. All phone calls were transferred from Victoria, so she never could know who was calling, and for all she knew this could be someone unrelated. Still, who else would be calling her at this moment, and she had just recently messaged him. So she answered nervously, mindful of saying anything potentially incriminating.

"H-hello? With whom am I talking to…?"

"Sorry for the wait, Becky..."

It was him. That voice that she had gotten so used to hearing when it requested her. Though she wasn't sure about being called Becky even now, it did work to confirm who was calling her, which put her at ease.

"Hey..." Sadayo responded in contentedly. "I'm guessing you got my message then?"

"Yep. The store is also closed now, so feel free to come over when you want."

"Sure thing! Oh, and if it's okay with you, could you wait for me to get there before you start cooking? I would like another shot at helping out… If that is okay with you, that is."

"Sure, I'll be seeing you soon then."

"Yep, I'll be there as soon as I can Mastaaa— I mean, Kurusu-kun." Sadayo heard chuckles before nearly smashing the receiver down in her haste. She buried her red face on her couch. "I can't believe I almost called him 'Master' again."

Her thoughts went back to those nights where they played their little roles; Akira, her caring and supportive master, and Becky, his loyal and loving maid. Those nights she initially dreaded, accepted, then considered as the highlight of her days were now cherished memories. "Despite everything else about that job, when I was with him it was actually kind of fun, and when I think of him, I can't help but—" Sadayo quickly snapped at realizing what she was insinuating. "Wait, I mean it's his fault for calling me Becky, it completely messed with my head! Our relationship has moved passed that, I don't have to pretend to be Becky to be honest with my feelings. Besides, it's not like he showed any interest when I offered to be his personal maid…" Sadayo pouted before letting out a sigh. "Anyway, I shouldn't keep him waiting, so I should head over to Leblanc..."

She'd be walking to Leblanc, as herself. Admittedly, it wasn't the first time she'd done this; in fact she'd done it twice now. But in the first time she was too drunk to realize how risky it was, and in the second she thought it was prudent to reject his confession properly. There might have been some people that saw her heading over during those instances and they'd probably be curious about her, maybe even ask questions. Showing up once is just a coincidence, easily ignored. Showing up twice can turn heads, a double-taker. But if she showed up thrice and anyone saw her, they'd start seeing her coming over as a pattern and wonder about the woman entering the closed coffee shop. She also had shown up in Yongen during the day, and would continue to do so for her appointments with Dr. Takemi, which could make it easier for people to recognize Sadayo.

Sadayo wracked her brain. She wanted to see him, but as she started thinking more on it the more afraid she became. Slumping down on the armrest of her couch, Sadayo started to worry that she might need to cancel with Akira.

"Strangely, it was actually much easier when I was just a maid..." She trailed off when an idea crossed her head. She lifted her head and saw the outfit she had yet to put away.

"Becky..."

* * *

Some time had passed since Akira had called Sadayo. He had hoped to have the curry ready for her arrival, but since she asked to be a part of it, he was left with not much to do. So he went for the next best thing and began preparing her a cup of coffee. Morgana, deciding he didn't want to be grabbed by Sadayo when she arrives decided he would rest from the top of the fridge. Akira's brewing went uneventful and as he was about to be done, he heard the bell ringing from the door.

"Hey, sorry for being so late."

"It's fine," Akira turned to greet Sadayo, "I'm actually almost done here so you arrived just in—"

Sadayo felt a bit self-conscious as she blushed at his stunned silence. "Wh-what are you looking at?" IIt was no longer just a customer seeing her in a maid outfit, but her own boyfriend.

"I just wasn't expecting to see you wearing that after you quit your job. I thought you hated wearing it."

"Oh," Sadayo averted her gaze, awkwardly rubbing her left arm. "Well, it's probably for the best if people didn't recognize me coming here. My company told me that I could keep it and I had already come here as a maid before so I figured, that it'd be a good disguise…?" She looked back at Akira, starting to worry if this was the right decision. "Does it bother you that I'm like this...?"

"It's... not that. It's just that—" Akira struggled to say what he wanted, but decided to let it go. He shook his head. "It's fine, as long as you're okay in doing this then I don't have a problem with it."

' _So he doesn't like me looking like this?'_ "I'm sorry. I know it's not the best, but it's what we have for the moment." The one guy who didn't like maids became her boyfriend, the irony. Sadayo clapped her hands, smiling in amusement and awkwardness. "Anyway, that smells amazing and I could use a bit of a wake up."

"Sure… take a seat and I'll fix you a cup." Akira went to finish his batch, beating himself up internally for what he just had — or hadn't — told her. He rounded the counter and poured her the drink before sitting beside her stool.

Sadayo eyed him, blowing on her cup. He seemed fine, but the mood was still… weird? Not a good start. "So… how are things on your end? There's been a lot of talk about that Medjed group and the Phantom Thieves. Are you going to be okay?"

"Is that going to be your Phantom Thief question of the evening?" Akira replied coyishly, riding along the attempt to change the subject.

"I'm just worried! Considering these guys work in leaking information you'd be in trouble if yours got out there," Sadayo snapped back at Akira's attempt to short-change her about her permitted questions, which strangely got a chuckle from him.

"Sorry, that was meant to be a joke. But in all honesty, I'm not worrying about them at the moment."

"Why not?" Sadayo asked back, concerned and curious.

"Well, all they've done is just yell out challenges to us on public broadcasting. They say that they can expose us, but I have yet to receive any messages from them. If they had any info that they could use against me, wouldn't they try to prove such things by contacting me directly?"

"I guess you have a point there."

"The other reason is because I didn't start to become a Phantom Thief to go and fight for dominance against another group. I just want to help people. If Medjed wants the title of real justice, they can have it."

"Taking the high road, I see," Sadayo smiled, feeling proud of her boyfriend's reasoning. "That's quite mature of you."

"Honestly it's more like laziness for not wanting to bother with them."

"Can't it be both?" Sadayo teased, smiling genuinely than earlier.

"I guess it could be," Akira chuckled a bit, feeling more comfortable now that Sadayo started to relax. He finished his cup of coffee and stood up to move back around the counter. "So, ready to cook some curry? You did come with your own apron and everything."

Sadayo rolled her eyes at his joke but nodded, standing as well. She took her empty cup with her to the sink next to Akira. "Oh, and Kurusu-kun?" Even though she didn't turn to face him, she could feel his gaze on her at the mention of his name. "Thank you for that note you left. It really helped me make it through the afternoon knowing I had something to look forward to."

Her soft smile, the blush in her cheeks... Akira was lost in lightheaded euphoria. He wanted nothing more than to embrace her again, but decided to restrain himself. It was a bold move when he held her close last night. He wanted to convey his feelings for her and show her how determined he was, and was more than ecstatic when she reciprocated his embrace.

But they were now together, and she is the first person he'd ever been with and he didn't want to mess it all up by being too forward and scare her off. After all, they already have so much going against him that he didn't want to add to the list of reasons why she shouldn't be with him. He was determined to make this work though, and that determination manifested itself as desire, and if there was anyone who knows how powerful one's desire could be, it was him. He just had to make sure to keep them tempered.

So he decided to go with a small gesture, a simple squeeze of her hand. He smiled at her slight jump and cute yelp, happy that she returned his squeeze. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Y-you shouldn't have done that though. Didn't I tell you that we needed to keep being professional at school?" Sadayo half-heartedly protested in an attempt to recover her composure. "I mean, what if someone saw that message?"

"Well then, that would be a problem wouldn't it? I shouldn't be sending such messages to my teacher," Akira gently pulled Sadayo to the kitchen, swept away by his gesture. Why was he hesitating earlier? They're alone, just her and him, and he could shower his girlfriend with affection in any damn way he pleased. So he pulled her closer as his other hand reached out to gently cup her cheek, "I guess I should be writing my messages to Becky then."

Like a deer in the headlights, Sadayo can only stare back. She could never predict nor get enough of that mischievous smile of his. Heart racing, not knowing what he'd do next ,she pouted, trying not to show how much he was affecting her. "Is that supposed to be your work around, or are you just teasing me because I'm wearing this?"

"Can't it be both?" Akira responded playfully, moving his hand to mess with one of her pigtails, though careful not to undo it.

Sadayo wasn't sure how to respond, the position and distance they were in made it hard to avert her gaze. So she just responded with another squeeze of his hand.

"Would you two get a room."

Startled, Sadayo leaped into Akira's chest, before turning to the direction of the mood-disruptor. "Oh, hi Mona. I didn't see you up there."

' _Damn it.'_ Face bright red, Akira was thankful that Sadayo was too preoccupied by Morgana to notice his little fumble when she leapt on his chest. And he was almost successful at being cool, too.

"Smooth," Morgana dryly said, destroying any hope Akira had that his suaveness was intact.

Akira rolled his eyes, but thankfully, Morgana jumped off the fridge and went upstairs.

Finally and truly left alone, Akira had Sadayo all to himself. No longer restricted by their status or the gaze of others, just him and the woman he loves. As thoughts raced through his mind his arms slowly moved lower — but not _too_ low — to fully wrap around his girlfriend.

Then his phone suddenly began to ring.

Sadayo jumped again, this time away from Akira, realizing just now what position she was in. "Sorry, I um… Phone! Who would be calling you at this hour?"

Akira sighed as he took out his phone, checking who the number was. "It's Iwai, I'm guessing he's asking if I can come at the shop and help out." ' _All the stuff with Shuda has been taken care of, so it shouldn't be anything serious.'_ "I'll just call him and let him know I can't go tonight."

Sadayo let him answer his call as she pondered, then recognized, the name — the model gun shop owner. The one with the adopted son. Who was—

"Kaoru was what?! Iwai, calm down!"

Sadayo snapped from her thoughts. Seeing the vividly upset Akira, she was quickly reminded that the older Iwai was an ex-yakuza. ' _I have a bad feeling about this…_ '

"I'll meet you there. Don't worry we'll get him back," Akira hung up and turned to Sadayo, his expression pained. "I'm sorry, I have to—"

"Just go already!" Sadayo quickly interrupted, not letting him finish his thought. "Don't worry about me and help them. I'll be here when you get back." She grabbed his hand as he turned, desperately pleading, "Just — just remember your promise, okay?"

Akira could feel her hand shaking. Hearing her say that admittedly helped him calm down a bit. He took a deep breath. "Yeah, I promised you, didn't I?" Akira turned fully towards her and raised her hand. "Just wait for me, I'll be sure to come back and make it up to you..." Keeping eye-contact, he lowered his head and planted a small peck on her forehand. Before she can say anything, he let go, discarded his apron, and went off running into the night.

Sadayo was left speechless following after him up to the door "Be safe..."

Despite knowing it would take a while, she stood there, just looking into the night, hoping he'd turn back any moment now. The sound of pattering paws rushing down the stairs interrupted her train of thought. A harried cat with its fur raised.

"Sorry, Kurusu-kun left just now," Sadayo answered the meows, guessing that Morgana was looking for his owner. For a second, she thought she'd heard the cat groan when it turned its gaze on her, somewhat annoying her. "What did I do to you? You've been acting so grumpy to me the whole night."

The cat huffed and went upstairs once more. At that moment, Sadayo realized that she was now alone at Leblanc. She couldn't outright leave now considering she couldn't lock the door, and Akira did ask her to stay. But in her rush to change and come here she didn't bring much with her. She could just wait for him upstairs with Morgana, but on seeing the ingredients prepared on the kitchen table, a light bulb lit over her head.

"Maybe I can have a nice surprise for when he comes back." Before she can chicken out, Sadayo washed her hands and planted herself firmly in front of the cutting board. Though she was willing to give it a try, she was still not confident about the plan herself. She had only limited knowledge and would had liked to get one more attempt with someone guiding her, but if she could make this work…

"Okay, let's try this! If it doesn't work out then I'll just have to apologize by treating him somewhere… When I'm not wearing this outfit." Sadayo pumped herself as she did her best to remember the process. Luckily, the beginning shouldn't be too difficult, as she began preparing the rice. Wash and strain the grains until the water cleared, then turn on the ricecooker. "That was easy enough. Next up is getting the pot and cutting the ingredients." Sadayo looked around and just realized one flaw in her plan… "Umm, where is the pot that he uses?"

Sadayo knelt down to begin searching, but it wasn't long until she found herself looking into the surprisingly deep shelves. "It shouldn't be too hard, I mean it's a small kitchen, right?"

The constant clatter of pots and pans in the long silence stretched into the night. After failing to find that one pot on any of the shelves Sadayo let out a disappointing sigh, second-guessing her decision, when a sudden noise caused her to bump her head against the shelf. "Oww."

Pulling back, she found Morgana standing on the counter above her with a perplexed look as he continued to meow at her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Though I guess that's all I'm doing right now."

She closed the shelf and sat on her legs, lowering her head in defeat. "I guess I could still make him some egg on rice. That should work as a nice surprise, right?" She smiled at the now-silent Morgana, as if expecting some sort of confirmation, but just shook her head. "No… he might as well have left the rice cooker by himself at that point." She sullenly picked at the frilly edge of her skirt. "It's frustrating, you know? He's always doing his best, willing to jump in to help even if it puts him at risk. He never hesitates to be there when others need him. I really admire that about him, and I wish I could be more like that. Yet all I can do is wait."

Sadayo sighed again, feeling silly yet relieved at unloading on her boyfriend's cat. "I wish I could do more for him, be able to help him, lighten that weight of his shoulders like he did for me. But I can't even prepare a meal for him." She refocused on Morgana, smiling but defeated. "I guess I still have a long way to go before I stop being so hopeless, don't I?"

Morgana's blue eyes stared at her for what seemed to be a long time, to the point that Sadayo was actually starting to feel a bit awkward. But then the cat seemed to let out what she thought was a sigh and leapt up the counters towards the fridge. Soon after, a pot crowned closer to the edge.

"Oh, that's where it is!" Sadayo quickly stood and reached out to grab the pot off the fridge. She was about to thank Morgana when the cat then walked towards one of the shelves and… opened it? Incredulous, Sadayo watched as the cat then casually slipped inside like it was no big deal, and picked up something by its mouth. Mona emerged with a small pad and placed it on the counter, meowing.

"Okay...?" Sadayo took the notepad, leafing through skeptically before it turned into surprise. "This is… a curry recipe? How did you—?"

She simply got a meow as a response as Mona jumped off the table, leaving Sadayo with no answer to her question. Still, she now has the pot, the recipe, and the ingredients to chop. It might not be the same as having someone to guide her through the process, but she has the next best thing.

"I'm… just not going to think too hard about it," Sadayo decided, refocusing on her returning motivation. "Either way, I can finally start on this!" She turned to the pad, flicking her eyes to the ingredients and back. "Okay, so next seems to be cutting up the chicken and vegetables, so I'll need the knife to—AAH!"

Wide-eyed, Sadayo backed away from the kitchen counter where the definitely-not-normal Morgana picked up a knife with his tail, coiling it around the handle. "What the—?! What are you, some kind of monkey-cat breed?!"

Maybe she was going crazy, but the look Morgana shot her seemed humanly exasperated. He neatly placed the knife by the cutting board and let out a quick, disgruntled meow before going back to the top of the fridge.

Despite the weirdness, Sadayo raised her brow, wondering if the cat was always this expressively cheeky. "It's bad enough that I have a strange boyfriend, but now I'm dealing with a strange cat too."

Morgana replied with a dry yowl.

Figuring that she should get to work, Sadayo shook her head and tried to focus again. How did Akira cut the vegetables before? Cubes, slices, dices? All she can remember was the way he twirled the knife like a magician with confident expertise. Shrugging that cut vegetables are cut vegetables no matter the shape, Sadayo decided on slices. It took her some time, but she eventually was able to quicken the pace of slicing as she got more comfortable. Until she nicked her finger.

"Oww!" Sadayo instinctively put her finger in her mouth. It wasn't a deep cut, but enough to cause some bleeding. "Seriously, how can he do all those stunts without cutting himself?"

She swore that a groan came from on top of the fridge rather than a feline meow. Mona leaped off.

"What kind of noise was that!?" Sadayo yelled in frustration at the kitty sauntering away. "If you're going to complain then why don't you come here and cut these yourself!?"

Quick to come, the anger was quick to fade as well. Sadayo deflated against the counter dejectedly, sighing, "I can't believe I'm arguing with a cat..." Before she can fall into a cycle of self-depreciation, another round of meowing again. Sadayo turned and saw Morgana behind her on the floor, nudging a first-aid kit in front of him with a paw. Sadayo just blinked at the ridiculousness of the situation, taking her some time to process before kneeling down and picking it up. "Thanks… and sorry for the yelling. I'm just really confused right now."

Morgana just mewled a couple of times.

That didn't help her sanity. "I don't even know if you understood me or not."

Sadayo placed a band-aid on her finger and put the kit nearby, just in case. She looked at Morgana once more, who seemed to be studying her back. ' _Is this something Akira trained him to do? I mean, I'm sure he hasn't had Mona that long so that'll be crazy. Still, Akira is a Phantom Thief, so maybe it's some kind of ability he has? Maybe it has to do with the whole stealing hearts? Maybe I just managed to get some cat-controlling powers?'_

"Or maybe I just lost my mind," Sadayo said aloud, gaining a twitch from the cat. But losing her sanity or not, she wouldn't go anywhere with the curry if she let herself get stuck. With that in mind, Sadayo returned to the recipe in hand. If she can accept that Akira can steal hearts and make villains magically confess, she can accept that his power rubbed off her to make cats magical.

Still, she didn't know how long Akira would be away, and she still was trying to figure things out; it would be impossible for her to finish alone, but with help...

She turned back to Morgana, unsure if this would even work, but it was worth a shot. "Mona, do you know where the measuring cups are?"

Morgana seemed to move his head like a nod and climbed the counter and paced around, avoiding the areas occupied by the food. He meowed as he jerked his head at a cabinet. Sadayo approached and opened it; indeed, the cups were here.

"Well, crazy or not, might as well ride this to its conclusion." She turned to Mona, still perplexed, but not willing to look a gift horse in the mouth. Still, Sadayo smacked her cheeks to make sure she was wide awake and stared down Morgana determinedly. "Okay Mona, I know I'm not the best at this, so I'm going to need your help to make this work. I'm counting on you, okay?"

Morgana meowed with what she hoped was an encouragement.

"Let's do our best for Mast — I mean, Kurusu-kun!"

* * *

"That could had gone really bad…"

Akira frustratedly stared at the whizzing nightlife as he rode the empty train cart to Yongen. When he and Iwai arrived at the location that he was informed, they found Kaoru at knife point. The guy doing so was the very one that Akira had eavesdropped on a good while back. While he managed to convince Iwai to finally trust Kaoru and open up to him, that small gesture did nothing to get rid of the dangerous man with a knife in front of him. During that moment Akira cursed being unable to using his Phantom Thief powers in the real world. In the end, they were saved not by him, but by Shuda who put the man on gunpoint and took him to whatever it is that he will be putting him through.

"Saved by a previous target… Not sure how I feel about that," Akira mumbled in annoyance, grabbing his neck as he tried to work the kinks on it. "It's a good thing I hadn't gone to the Metaverse today, or I wouldn't had been able to go… Not that I did much."

After Shuda left, Iwai seemed more than willing to move past this whole thing behind him, inviting Akira to dinner. But Akira didn't feel like he did much to deserve such a thing and he has someone waiting for him, so with a brief apology he took his leave, letting the father and son catch up on what is probably a lifetime of questions.

When he opened the door to Leblanc, he was unexpectedly greeted by the scent of curry. Curious, he went to the kitchen, surprised to find a bubbling ,curry-filled pot.

"She wanted to surprise you."

Akira turned to see Morgana sitting on the counter.

Morgana nudged his head to point at the stairs. "She's upstairs if you're wondering."

"I see." Akira nodded to Morgana and went upstairs, arriving to a very familiar scene of Sadayo sleeping on the couch. Akira couldn't help but chuckle, considering there was a perfectly good bed nearby. He walked towards her and knelt down by his sleeping maid. Her skin was less pale, and while the dark circles around her eyes were still there, they were smaller and less prominent. In general, she looked better and slept more peacefully compared to the last time he saw her like this.. What's new were the bandaged fingers; Akira made a mental note to teach her how to use a knife.

"Time to wake up, Sadayo. I'm back."

Her eyes fluttered open at his call. Drifting in some sort of half-sleeping state, Sadayo smiled when she saw who was in front of her.

"Hey… Welcome home, Master..."

Akira's smile widened at her response, figuring she wasn't fully awake and therefore hasn't realized what she has said. "I'm home, Sadayo." Akira reached out and gently stroked her cheek, which she happily seemed to welcome. "I noticed that you were busy while I was gone?"

"Huh…? Oh right, the curry. Wait!" Sadayo quickly sat up as his hand dropped from her cheek, her concern overriding her drowsiness. "Is everything okay?! Were you able to find Iwai-kun!?"

"It's fine," Akira replied, doing his best to underplay the situation. "We ran into some trouble with someone, but luckily one of Iwai's old acquaintances came to help out. Kaoru is safe."

Sadayo breathed a sigh of relief, but there was still something off… "And how about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Actually, I should be the one asking you that question,." Akira raised her hand, gently thumbing at the new band-aids. "Do you need me to look at any injuries? I'm honestly impressed you were able to do it on your own, considering I didn't really get to teach you the whole thing."

"Ye-yeah..." Sadayo turned her gaze from Akira, looking behind him.

Perplexed, Akira followed her gaze and saw Morgana near the stairs. "Sadayo, is everything okay?"

"Actually, there is something I want to ask you about— don't laugh!" Sadayo quickly added.

Akira blinked, not sure what she was getting at, but nodded all the same.

"Okay, soooo the truth is... I actually didn't do it on my own. I actually got a lot of help."

"Help?" Akira furrowed his brows, confused and worried by the implication of someone else knowing about her being at Leblanc. "From whom?"

"From, ummm…" Sadayo hesitated, knowing how ridiculous it sounded, but if anyone could give her answers, it would be him. At least she hoped he would and not find the whole thing crazy. She quickly braced herself for the inevitable teasing that would incur, if not outright looks of concern. " Mona, I got help from Mona."

Akira turned to Morgana, a cocky smile spreading on his face. "Did he now…?"

Morgana innocently looked away.

"Like, it was so weird!" Sadayo was glad he took it well, but... "He knew where everything was and he knew how to fetch them and when I cut my finger he actually brought the first-aid kit and his tail did this thing with—"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down..." Akira raised his hands for Sadayo to take a breather, doing his best to hide his amusement at how shocked she was, but was unable to stop a small smile from creeping onto his face. "I need to grab my bag from downstairs, but once I'm back I promise to explain everything, okay?"

"Ummm, sure?" Sadayo was uncertain why he had to look for his bag all of the sudden, but was willing to take it over mockery, which helped in making her feel like she hadn't gone insane all of the sudden.

"Okay, I'll be right back." Akira turned toward the stairs, nodding at Morgana as he went down. Morgana understood and followed him.

Once they reached the counter, Akira turned to Morgana with his usual cocky smirk, the one he sports when he knew he had the upper hand on someone. "So... what was that about letting her see too much? 'Cause that sounded like she saw you doing a lot of things that a normal cat can't do."

"I-I only did it to make sure she didn't burn the place down!" Morgana quickly protested. "If that happened then the Chief would've kicked you out for sure!"

Akira smiled, appreciative of the gesture, even if Mona's proud attitude meant that he tried to hide his kindness. "Thank you for watching over her while I was gone."

"It's good that you appreciate the efforts I go through to help," Morgana boastfully straightened his back.

"Kurusu-kun!" they heard Sadayo shout from upstairs. "Are you okay down there? Do you want me to come down and help look?"

"I'm good, I'll be there shortly!" Akira shouted in return. He turned back to Morgana. "So, what are we going to do about this? Seems like we can't brush it off very easily."

Morgana cleared his throat, as if commanding attention to him, head proudly held up. "After much thought and contemplation, I've decided that there is merit to what you suggested about having someone from outside the group know of my true existence, in case anything were to happen. While I believe Chief would be a better candidate since he is your guardian, doing so would involve revealing ourselves as Phantom Thieves. So I guess your homeroom teacher will do."

"That is what you believe what's best for the group?" Akira responded, happy to play along. On a hunch, he turned towards the stairs, catching a peeking Sadayo, who retreated back up the stairs with haste.

"She is way too curious about you for your own good," Morgana groaned as Akira chuckled.

"Well, considering she saw me talking to you I think we can't avoid it any longer." Akira proceeded to head back upstairs, Morgana on his heels. Amusedly, he noticed how Sadayo straightened and acted like she saw nothing. He grinned as he walked past her and picked up his bag under the workbench. "Sorry, turns out I had actually left it up here. But I did promise to explain everything, so please be patient with me."

"Okay…?" Sadayo responded with uncertainty and suspicion after what she glimpsed.

"So this may be a surprise to you, but Morgana over there," Akira jerked his head to the cat now sitting proudly on the table by the stairs, "is actually part of the Phantom Thieves."

"Really?" Sadayo replied, honestly less shocked and more relieved that her crazy theory was true. Lost in thought, she crossed her arms. "I guess I can kind of see that. I mean, he seems well-trained. He was actually very responsive when I asked him to get things." Sadayo quickly turned to Akira as a realization came to her. "Oh, I get it. You have him sneaking into places and getting stuff like keys or other small objects. Since he's a cat no one finds it suspicious!" She turned to their feline friend who was now quietly watching them both. "Still I must say, you mentioned getting him recently, so to have trained him so well in a short time is impressive."

"Like hell he trained me! I'm the one that's teaching him!" Morgana yelled in protest.

Sadayo jumped in surprise as her boyfriend laughed. "What was that all about?" She asked in confusion, considering Akira's response differed so much to hers.

"He said that he's the one teaching, not the other way around," Akira casually said.

"Wait… what do you mean by ' _He said…?'_ " Sadayo was taken aback by her boyfriend's blasé attitude, unsure if she just misheard what he said.

Akira simply smiled at her apprehension and continued calmly. "Morgana is actually not a normal cat. He is able to understand people, and with certain individuals he can even talk to them. Yours truly is one of them, as I'm sure you saw downstairs."

"Kurusu-kun…" Sadayo slowly spoke, disbelief very clear as she sighed. "Okay, I see. You were just acting like you were talking to your cat a moment ago to mess with me. I mean, that sounds too ridiculous. I can understand if he's apart of your group, and as bizarre as it is, I can sort of believe him being smart enough to understand people. I mean, I can't deny that from what I saw earlier; he seemed to understand everything that I was asking him. But a talking cat? That's a biiiit too much."

"What if I can prove it?" Akira replied without skipping a beat. Grabbing a notebook and pen from his bag, Akira placed them on the table where Morgana sat and signaled his girlfriend. "Come over here."

Sadayo raised her brow, but went over anyway.

As soon as she did, Morgana picked up the pen by his mouth and began writing on the open page.

 **[Hello]**

Sadayo just blinked. She turned to Akira. "I admit this is quite impressive, but it could simply be a trick he does."

"Just wait..." Akira responded with confidence as Morgana continued writing.

 **[It's not a trick Ms. Kawakami]**

 **[Also I'm not a cat!]**

 **[I'm a human!]**

Morgana strongly tapped his paws at that last sentence.

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo pointed nervously at the cat, deeply concerned. "W-what does he mean by that? That he's human?"

"Morgana lost a lot of his memories when we found him. But he believes that he used to be human, but lost his form." Akira awkwardly scratched his cheek as he explained, knowing that it didn't make much sense without the context. "He also seems to remember a number of things involving thieving. He's actually the one that has been teaching us how to be Phantom Thieves."

 **[I don't Believe]**

 **[I know I'm hum~~~~]**

Before Morgana could finished his last sentence Sadayo picked him up as she began to shake him in panic.

"All those times I was with you! The things I told you! Did you tell him any of that!? How much does he know!?"

"I didm't saym anythimf!" Morgana pleaded to deaf ears, pen still in mouth.

Sadayo then froze as a horrible thought occurred, giving Mona a chance to leap back to the table. Face bright red as she pressed down on her skirt, she glared at the not-cat angrily. "You better have not tried peeking under my skirt!"

"I DID NOT!" Morgana yelled in protest and grabbed his pen to scribble quickly on the paper.

 **[I did no such thing!]**

 **[I'm a gentleman!]**

Akira was amused by the little show playing in front of him. Seeing both Sadayo acting so flustered while Morgana tried to explain himself was quite funny and he admittedly allowed it to play out for a bit as a way to get payback on Morgana for playing innocent and resting on top of her lap on occasions. Still, the last thing he wanted was for both to be unable to cooperate with one another so he decided to intervene.

"It's okay, Sadayo. I can assure you that Morgana never had any intention of purposely looking up your skirt."

"You're still not denying it!" both yelled out in unison, annoyed for different reasons.

"Point is," Akira continued on, "he needs to act like a cat to prevent raising suspicions, but now that we're together you two are probably going to see each other a lot more, and considering he knows _most_ — not _all_ ," he assured, "—of the details concerning you, we figured that it would only be fair for you to know of his true existence. So how about it?"

Sadayo stared at Akira with cheeks flushed from both anger and embarrassment. His smile helped her to calm down but also slightly irritated her with how composed he was compared to her... and probably Mona. She let out a sigh and relaxed a bit, letting go of her skirt. "I guess he never did anything perverted like jump at my chest or rub against my leg when I thought that he was just a cat."

 **[Damn right I didn't! I'm human and a gentleman!]** Morgana emphasized with a double-tap of his paw.

It was kind of cute, if Sadayo has to admit it. Now calm, she smiled, welcoming. "And in the end, you did help me a lot today because you knew that I wanted to do something for Akira. I honestly couldn't have done it without you." Sadayo gave a courteous bow to Morgana, "I'm sorry for my outburst It was just a lot to take in, and I panicked. I'm Sadayo Kawakami. I hope that we can get along."

Morgana huffed as he wrote.

 **[It's fine]**

 **[I'm Morgana]**

 **[It's a pleasure to finally talk to you]**

Morgana dipped his head between his front paws, a bow of his own.

"Now that that is settled, why don't we go downstairs? I'm interested to see what you two managed to make while I was gone." Akira winked at Sadayo, which got a desired reaction as he walked down the stairs.

Sadayo and Morgana just watched him with exasperated exhaustion.

"He's way more amused by all of this than he should be," Sadayo muttered in protest.

Morgana meowed in — with what she assumed — confirmation. They both lowered their heads in defeat.

"I'm too tired for this," Sadayo yawned and went after her boyfriend, leaving the not-cat who seemed content to stay.

Downstairs, Akira was stirring the pot of curry to help the warmth spread faster. He turned to a yawning Sadayo with empty plate in hand. "Take a seat. I'll have us a plate ready."

"Oh no you don't," Sadayo pointed towards the stools. "You sit down, I'll be the one serving you."

"Sure thing." Bemused, Akira shrugged as he obeyed. He fondly watched his all-in-one girlfriend, maid, and teacher prepare a plate and glass of water. After all the work he did for his friends it was… nice to be cared for. He smiled in thanks when Sadayo placed the items and sat beside him, although…

"Aren't you going to have some too?"

"I… already had some, sorry," Sadayo confessed. "It just smells really good, and I wasn't sure when you were coming back. So I decided to have a taste to see how it was… and then a taste became a full plate."

Akira couldn't help but laugh at how guilty she looked from this. "It's fine, at least I know it's edible."

"I'm not that bad! Anymore..." Sadayo sulked as she mumbled the last part, anxious to hear his thoughts on it. After all, he had more experience than her in cooking, so he might find it inadequate. His spoon dug a moderate amount of rice and curry, and soon it disappeared into his mouth. Sadayo watched with bated breath, wondering if his complexion would turn green like the last guy she cooked for in high school. "So...? How was it?"

"It's good," Akira smiled back as eagerly dug for another scoop. He didn't know he was _that_ hungry. "It's different from what I or Boss make — a different sort of kick to it — but it's not bad."

"You promise?" Sadayo glared at Akira, remembering how he replied to her first attempt at making coffee. "You're not just saying that, right?"

"No, it's good. I'm definitely looking forward to enjoying my girlfriend's cooked lunch at school."

Sadayo's face was bright red at the thought of Akira eating her — _successful!_ — cooked meal at school. "I-I'm happy to hear that, as long as you don't try to show off." She breathed out a sigh of relief. "I admit I took some liberties from what my mother had told me, since I wasn't sure on some stuff on the recipe. So I was a bit nervous on how it turned out..."

"You okay?" Akira said at his girlfriend's yawn.

Sadayo rubbed her eyes as she did her best to stay awake. "I'm fine. Just ended up waking up really early today, plus a lot of work happened. I don't know how you can do all the work in the kitchen and not get tired from it."

"It's not so bad once you get used to it." Akira proceeded to move his stool closer to her, leaving no inch unoccupied between them. He gestured for her to come closer. "Here, you can lean on me for a bit."

Sadayo was confused by the offer, but was too tired to argue as she nodded and leaned her head against his arm, resting her heavy body. "Sorry, I just need a couple of minutes. I'll do my best to listen to you though."

"About what?" Akira asked curiously as he continued to eat his curry.

"About what happened with Iwai," Sadayo replied bluntly, too tired to filter herself. "You didn't look very happy when I asked you about it. So what happened?."

Slightly surprised, Akira chuckled at her reasoning, though considering how the frustration still ate at him, he couldn't deny it. "I just felt so useless. All I was good for was helping Iwai get over his hiccup with Kaoru and finally open up to him. In end, when it came to actually getting back Kaoru, I was unable to do anything. In the end we got saved by a guy that I targeted before. If he hadn't shown up, things could had gotten worse, and I might have been unable to stop it."

Sadayo could feel his arm tense as he spoke. In response she wrapped her arms around it and nuzzled her face to get more comfortable as she snuggled closer. "But that's not true, you actually did help, more than you think?"

"How so?" Akira responded, not quite in agreement.

"Well, you helped the other guy change because you stole their heart, right?" She lazily lifted her finger and poked his chest, grumpily adding, "Which by the way, I still have no idea how you're actually able to do."

Akira couldn't help but laugh at Sadayo's attempt to nag him for information while clinging and squeezing his arm. He placed his hand on hers, giving it a reassuring rub. "Don't worry, I'll explain things one thing at a time."

"You better…" Sadayo mumbled as her raised hand went down and wrapped around his bicep. "Anyway, you stole it so he would be a better person, and in return he helped others because of it. He only came to help in the end because of your previous action. And don't cut yourself short for helping the Iwais out. I'm sure that because of your meddling they are finally able to move past their problems and doubts and talk things out and be honest to one another."

"Did you have to call it meddling?" Akira slumped dejectedly.

"It's what you do. You're a meddler that can't stop getting yourself in the middle of other people's problems," Sadayo mumbled in annoyance. "But, that's something that I really admire about you. Something that I hope that someday, I can do as well. Even if I only really affect one student, it's okay if that student can then go on to do great things and help even more people. You've definitely saved a lot of people. I mean you changed me, and I'll be sure to help as many as I can because of that change. So don't let it get to you, okay? I just hope that someday I can help someone like that."

It was a bit silly and kind of dramatic, but Akira couldn't help but be calmed by her drowsy ramblings. It definitely helped him, as he felt all that frustration disappear. All thanks to the maid that was resting on his arm.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am, I'm your teacher after all..."

Akira chuckled at that last statement. "Guess you have a point there."

The only sound that came from Sadayo was from her breathing.

Gently, taking care not to jostle Sadayo, Akira extracted his arm from her embrace and wrapped it around her back, making her lean on his shoulder to secure her from falling off. He rubbed her arm warmly, enjoying the quiet atmosphere, alone with his loving maid by his side.

"You're already that kind of teacher to me," Akira whispered, placing a gentle peck on the top of her head.

"Thank you, Sensei.".

* * *

Akira should have known better than to tempt fate. While he didn't believe in its absolute existence like Chihaya did, he'd come to accept that at the very least he had something that had it against him and would take any chance to complicate things. And considering how well things were going for him recently it was no doubt that it would decide that now was the time to make things more difficult.

It all had started yesterday during lunch. He had been contacted by a hacker named Alibaba. He had confronted him by asking him if was a Phantom Thief, and said that there was someone whose heart he wanted stolen. he had even offered to give them information on Medjed, or even take care of the hacktivist group themselves. Then he had abruptly left the chat saying that he would be doing preparations, an ominous message if there ever was one.

Everyone in the group had been understandably worried when Akira showed the text. They wondered if their chat logs had been traced, though Makoto felt like there might be more to it. Unfortunately, none in the group were knowledgeable when it came to this kind of work, and thus were unable to do more than speculate.

Akira though wasn't fully sold on them having been found out yet, or at the very least, he hoped. After all, it could be possible that the message was a spam, considering it only _asked_ if he was a Phantom Thief and asked him to target Medjed. Considering that both the existence of the Phantom Thieves and Medjed's challenge are known publicly, it wouldn't be hard for Alibaba to spam messages to numerous phone numbers, hoping for someone to take the bite. As Makoto summarized, all they have is his word, words that don't reveal any hints of them knowing anything more than the public does, and so the best course is to see where this would lead.

In the end, Akira still had no real plans of going after Medjed. But he couldn't help but be concerned about one thing: if this Alibaba did know about him being a Phantom Thief, was it possible that he also knew about his relationship with Sadayo?

Things only escalated as later that evening Medjed had begun threatening to target anyone that supports the Phantom Thieves. If it was just him, he wouldn't care less if they proclaimed their superiority and just went away, but the moment they targeted bystanders it became very difficult to ignore them. And the final entry to this sequence of events was a calling card addressed to him, but with no name on the card itself. This was more than likely the preparations that Alibaba had mentioned. While it seemed to be missing certain details,it was alarming that it was addressed to him alone.

Which meant that this wasn't just a random prank.

So here he is now, 7/21 during the afternoon, sitting around during Mr. Ushimura's class as he waited to hear back from their mysterious hacker in the hopes of finding more information. The group already had one false alarm when Ryuji texted them earlier today, and another one during lunch, which turned out to be Sadayo texting him about how she completely got sidetracked last time. Akira dreaded this discussion about bringing Morgana to school, **especially** since Sadayo now knew he could talk to him.

But eventually, his phone began to rumble for the third time. After making sure that Mr. Ushimura couldn't see him, Akira took out his phone.

[Al]: Good day.

' _Third time's the charm it seems,'_ Akira thought as he responded, hoping that he would get more information this time.

[A]: Good day to you too.

[Al]: Ah, you responded today.

' _Not for a lack of trying yesterday. Still, need to play it safe for now.'_

[Al]: Once again, I am Alibaba.

[Al]: You are the leader of the Phantom Thieves, correct?

As much as Akira could feign ignorance, at this point there was enough evidence to point to his identity.

[A]: That's right.

[Al]: Mm, I appreciate your honesty.

[Al]: I take it you received the calling card?

"So it really was from this guy," Morgana whispered from his desk, confirming what Akira had figured out as well.

[Al]: Are you at school right now?

' _What kind of question is that?'_ Akira thought. Despite the bad feeling in his gut, he continued to reply, needing to make sure how much this person knew.

[A]: Yes, I'm in class. What's that have to do with anything?

[Al]: Nothing, just surprised how diligent of a student you are.

[Al]: Considering your record after all.

[Al]: But I guess we both know that it's not true.

If the person had been merely poking about his record, Akira would had just passed that as someone searching for his name and finding his info the way Mishima did. But that final sentence worried him that Alibaba knew more than just that; while it made him slightly glad that someone knew about it, his innocence from the assault was something that wasn't particularly public.

[Al]: Now then, I have prepared the calling card for you.

[Al]: When are you going to steal it?

[A]: What are you talking about?

[Al]: Hm? Stealing a heart, of course.

[Al]: Aren't you able to steal a heart as long as you have a calling card?

Akira kept his frustration from showing on his face during class. ' _One moment, Alibaba seems to know a lot more than we wish, and the next he didn't seem to know the basics of the cards._

Morgana was equally frustrated. "How are we supposed to steal a heart if we don't know who we're stealing from?"

[A]: I need a name.

[Al]: …A name? Is your heart thievery truly impossible without such information?

[A]: Yes

[Al]: ...I see.

[Al]: Hm, I suppose past calling cards did have names on them.

[Al]: One moment.

[Al]: Very well, I'll tell you.

[Al]: …

Akira waited….and waited. He was confused about the need of the ellipses, there. Why would they hesitate to give the name if they wanted this person's heart stolen?

[Al]: I believe her name was… Futaba Sakura.

"Futaba… Sakura," Akira whispered in shock. ' _Could this person be related to Boss? Maybe that person he keeps talking to on the phone? But he's never really mentioned any family…'_

[Al]: If you fail in this mission, I will expose your identity to the world.

"Wait, why the sudden aggression!' Morgana hissed.

Akira stared at his phone. The moment the name was mentioned, this whole thing went from a deal to a full-on threat and blackmail. As if Alibaba was pushing harder now that that info was out, like he didn't want Akira to dwell on it. But it still wasn't enough.

[A]: Wait a minute, isn't that a sudden turn?

[A]: Shouldn't the stuff with Medjed be enough incentive, why go this far?

[Al]: Well then, I'll be counting on you.

[Al]: I'm sure I don't have to inform you of how… inconvenient it would be not just for you, but also to a certain teacher-maid of yours.

Akira's eyes went wide, a hard lump forming on his throat as he gripped his phone tightly. ' _He couldn't know...'_

[Al]: We shall speak again after the change of heart.

[A]: WAIT!

 **Account cannot be found.**

* * *

 **Welcome back. Once again I would like to thank you for your patience and hope that the chapter was worth the wait. This chapter marks the beginning of the new arc in the story titled "His old life, her new life." With the prologue till chapter 15 being the "confidant Arc". I'd like to thank SexyPrincessWriter for the idea, as it's helped me figure out how I want to format the following chapters and what will be happening. I'm sure you can imagine what that title entails.**

 **Tetsuya was a character that I admittedly had planned to introduce earlier in the story, but kind of got pushed back because of the urgency that Akira had in trying to help Sadayo. He was hinted at way back through as Akira mentioned a family friend having been the one to talk to Sojiro. I always found it interesting how in game Sojiro mentions that it was a customer of his that knows his parents, and not his parents directly that talked to him. Kind of putting that extra layer of unfamiliarity between Sojiro and Akira since he's not a relative or even knows his parents.**

 **I like to give special thanks once more to SomebodyLost. Thanks again for sticking through the long haul and helping me work out the kinks on the chapter. I owe you a lot.**

 **Let my know your thought at the comments and review and till next time...**


	18. Chapter 17

**Once again, sorry for the long wait between chapters. As of now I am sadly still not able to give an estimate when chapters will be return to it's more consistent format, but for now I thank all of you that have been waiting patiently (and impatiently) for the next chapter to come, and know that a lot effort has been put because I want to make sure that I present you polished work.**

 **Most of these characters don't belong to me, but to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

"I did not expect to see you here. Will you not get in trouble with your lord for visiting?" Despite the fact that he was chained, the thief confidently smirked at the servant that snuck into his cell.

"Why did you do this?" the servant asked in frustration. "You had your tawdry piece of treasure and you escaped without being caught. Everything was as you said it would be. That was our bargain was it not? I gave you access to that room and then I never had to deal with you again. So why did you return?!"

"Because I realized that I had made a terrible mistake. I should not have agreed to that bargain. I almost left without my treasure."

"Are you a FOOL?!" the servant shouted angrily. "You had your treasure! And why are you acting so confident?! You got caught!"

"Because, despite these bonds, I have yet to be conquered." The thief stood proudly, walking as far as the chains permitted him to. "The treasure that I desire is not the pendant." His eyes softened with longing at the stunned servant as he gently placed his hand on her cheek. "And this time, I shan't depart, not without you..."

"What potions have you been ingesting?!" the servant slapped his hand away. "There is nothing between us; there never was! Our bargain is of mutual convenience — for you to obtain your treasure, and for I to exact my vengeance on that bastard of a lord. I thought that those terms were unequivocal."

Her hand tightened into a fist as she looked down dejectedly while her body shook. Softly, she said, "And I told you before — I cannot leave. Every time I tried he would hunt me down and kill anyone that ever tried to help me." She fully turned away from him then, wrapping her arms around herself. "If I come with you, he would never stop until I was captured again. I am nothing more than his property for him to use as he pleases. So why did you endanger yourself? I dread what will happen to you once dawn breaks, especially since you dared to steal from him."

"And that is what I mean. I am a thief. If he is so determined to keep you all to himself then it makes me want to make you mine even more."

The servant shook her head. "I do not understand you at all! Why did it have to be you that came that day? Why did you have to pick me as your accomplice?" Her voice broke, sounding more and more distraught. "This is not how it was supposed to be. I am soiled, there is nothing left for me, I had accepted that. But then you had to come along and make me think of foolish thoughts of freedom and happiness. How cruel of you!" She swiveled back to the man in fury and tears. "I hate you! I do not want to see you again! You should had left me behind… YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST LEFT ME HERE TO DIE—"

In her outburst, the woman did not realize that she moved close to the man, and he took the opportunity to pull her closer. Holding her securely, he planted his lips against hers for a deep, passionate kiss. The woman was shocked at first, before beginning to halfheartedly hit his chest in retaliation. But as it lingered, her hand slowly stopped, making their way to his shoulder to grip him desperately. Clinging to him with no intention of letting go as he embraced her.

Her tears rolled down her cheeks as she broke away. He moved to her neck, lovingly caressing, and she opened her mouth, moaning—

"Sadayo! Would you stop watching that show and give me a hand in the kitchen?!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry," Sadayo turned to her mother from the other end of the living room. Wiping the stray tears from her eyes, she sniffled as the TV rolled the credits. "I had been catching up to the show and the last episode had the two arguing so I wasn't sure what was going to happen and I just—"

"It's fine, just turn off the TV and get over here or we won't have enough time for us to eat before I have to head to the airport," Isako interrupted, rolling her eyes. She proceeded to put the first batch of chicken into the hot oil. "I thought you said you wanted me to teach you how to make karaage, but you ended up so enthralled in one of your corny shows. I'm surprised to see you still enjoy them, even after all these years."

"So what if it's corny?" Sadayo pouted.

"Nothing," Isako chuckled. "They're just not for me. I was more than content with your father so those crazy story plots never really interested me."

"Yeah, crazy..." Sadayo laughed nervously, considering how crazy her own life had become. "But even if they're corny, they're also intriguing, comforting, and optimistic." She grabbed her arm as a few bad memories came to mind. "Besides, they helped me through a lot during the last years when—"

Sadayo quickly covered her mouth, realizing that she almost revealed more than she intended.

"Helped you how?" her mother prodded.

Grimacing beneath her hand, Sadayo cursed her big mouth internally. She curled up on the sofa to gather her thoughts, tracing spirals on her couch with her finger. "Just… being on my own for the past years. I haven't had much of a social life since the whole thing with Takase-kun happened, so I haven't really been able to meet anyone new. Honestly, I have been so busy for the longest time that it felt like I barely had some time even to myself."

Everything was quiet for a while. Some clanging of the pots and pans made it seem that her mother was continuing her work in the kitchen, but a moment later, the stove was turned off and Isako took a seat by her on the couch. Similar to the night that Akira had confessed to Sadayo, Isako's expression was guilty and self-recriminating.

"I'm sorry for not doing more to reach out to you when you needed me," her mother said softly, teary-eyed like her daughter. "I should had listened to my instincts and tried harder to reach out to you."

"Mom, please don't be. I was the one that pushed you away. Besides," Sadayo looked away in contemplation before turning back and smiled awkwardly at her mother. "I'm... actually seeing someone now."

"So there _is_ someone." Isako wiped away the tear at the edge of her eye, still regretful but also a bit relieved and curious.

Darn that parental guilt, Sadayo cursed internally. Even if her mother didn't mean to do it purposely, Sadayo hated seeing her mother like that. Her heart ached, knowing that she made her mother feel like she was unwanted. For years, her mother really had tried to reach out to her as much as she could, but considering how Sadayo was during that time, she knew that more prodding would only had caused her to push her mother farther away.

So Sadayo wanted to ease her mother's worry, to let her know that she was now fine, that she was now in a better place in her life. Her mother deserved better from her horrible daughter, so Sadayo couldn't lie... but she could omit some _critical_ details.

"Y-yeah, though we only just started."

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you meet? From the sound of it, you've been quite busy with other things."

Sadayo opened her mouth…. then closed it. She couldn't tell her about his record, that he was a Phantom Thief, the fact that he was actually a student of hers and underage. She couldn't bring herself to talk about the whole situation with the Takases or how she forced to work herself to death and ignored her students. And she definitely didn't want to spill about how they were meeting in private while she worked as a maid and how close she was to selling her body.

But once she removed all of that, Sadayo realized that despite her desire to know more about him she still didn't know much. About his life before Tokyo, about his parents and his life back home about his hometown and the people he left behind. Shameful as it was for her to admit, Akira knew way more about her than she did about him.

Realizing that she had left her mother waiting, she quickly put those thoughts behind her for now. She hated it, but it looked like she would have to fluff her story a bit more than she had hoped. "It's nothing special really. He's just this guy that sort of started talking to me in this coffee shop I had started going to recently."

"A coffee shop?"

"Yeah, it's just this place that I got the location from someone at school. It's not fancy or anything but the coffee is good, and—" Sadayo bit her tongue as she turned away to her curious mother. The last thing she needed was her mother raring to look for Leblanc. "Anyway, he's one of their servers there and he would ask me about my day whenever I came in ."

"Did he do that with every customer? He wasn't just trying to smooth-talk you, was he?

Sadayo chuckled at her mother's suggestion. "I'm sure. We both kind of rubbed each other the wrong way when we first met. I was admittedly very cold to him since I was dealing with a lot of things during that time and was stressed out. I'm sure he could tell, and for some time we just passed each other with only the minimum of interactions. Honestly, it was by strange coincidence that we ended up interacting with each other as frequently as we did, otherwise I wouldn't had given him the time of day. But then, stuff just kind of…" Sadayo vaguely waved her hands, "happened."

"Well, that seems quite interesting" her mother's brows were raised in amusement.

"Not like that!" Sadayo protested, her face bright red at her mother's insinuation. "We just, started talking and got to know one another."

"It's fine. I understand quite well," was the carefree reply.

Sadayo doubted that she was really understood, and honestly, she didn't know what was worse — the fact that her mother thought she'd been sleeping around with a guy she just met, or having to explain that she hadn't done anything like that in years.

….Or that the closest she'd gotten were the occasional dreams that she tried to forget involving a certain troublemaker.

"Still, there must have been some reason why you decided to go out with him? What's he like?"

"Well, he can be really cocky and stubborn when it comes to doing what he wants. A lot of times, I can't tell what he's thinking and it's hard to keep up with him. But he's also very sweet and supportive. He likes to mess with me, but he's always willing to step up when it matters." Sadayo's smile grew warmer as her thoughts went to Akira. "No matter how much I pushed him away, he was always willing to be there when I needed him. When I was in the hospital, I was... admittedly kind of lonely, filled with regret on how I pushed everyone away, but then, out of nowhere he showed up without me telling him." She couldn't help but giggle at the memory of Akira rushing to her side. "You should had seen how panicked he looked when he arrived. For a moment I thought he was about to pass out because of how exhausted he looked from running. You'd think he'd be better at it considering how much he practices with Sakamoto-kun."

"Sakamoto-kun?"

"OH! Um…" Sadayo cursed herself for the third time "yeah, he's a close friend of his. They hang out a lot and I've run into both of them at the same time." Sadayo twiddled her fingers as she realized something. "I-I don't think he likes me very much..."

"Why do you say that? I mean he's your boyfriend's friend, isn't he? Wouldn't he had objected about you two getting together if he did?" Isako placed her hand over her daughter's, a gesture Sadayo appreciated.

"He… actually doesn't know yet that we are going out — none of his friends do. And I'm honestly afraid of how they'd react. I did a lot of things that I wish I could take back, I unfairly judged them, and..." Sadayo shook her head, stopping herself from continuing that line of thought before she ended up saying too much again. "Sorry, you asked me about him, but I ended up getting out of topic."

"Sadayo, I'm your mother, and I'm here for you if you ever need someone to talk to. I'm always here." The embrace that she received was motherly and warm, something Sadayo didn't know she had been missing, no craving might be a better term, until now. Even the gentle petting on her head that she was used to when she was younger eased Sadayo at the present. But it also made her feel a bit embarrassed.

"You don't have to treat me like a child," Sadayo pouted halfheartedly, not at all resisting.

"Just humor me a bit." Isako continued holding her daughter close. "I haven't seen you in such a long time and soon I'll be leaving again."

"I know," Sadayo sighed as she embraced her mother back, letting her enjoy the moment as an apology for keeping things from her. She wish that she could tell her mother everything that she had been through for the last few years, but she wasn't ready. To risk her and Akira's futures, to reveal the reality of her life for the past years to her mother, to show just how badly she had fallen from her and her father's ideals.

But most of all, Sadayo was afraid. Afraid to tell her mother that after all that had happened, after she tried so hard to defend her daughter from the accusations at her previous school, Sadayo had ended up falling for one of her students. One day, Sadayo hoped to be strong enough to tell her, but not today.

' _I'm sorry...'_

* * *

"Whaaaaaaaaat?!"

"Are you for real?!"

"Guys, calm down." Akira gestured at Ann and Ryuji to prevent attracting any more attention from the passing crowd at the Shibuya hideout. They really needed to get a private location soon, especially now with the size of their group.

They had originally met up so they could discuss what information Akira had gathered on Futaba Sakura. Strangely enough, it had ended with Alibaba pulling back his threats and simply disappearing after they started asking to meet with him so they can figure out Sakura's keywords. While confused, the group figured there wasn't much they could do with Alibaba since they had no way to reach him, and consider that for how much they boasted Medjed seem more then happy to proclaim their victory and leave it at that, making it feel like just one big prank. While Akira wish he could feel the same amount of relief as the group did, something about the whole thing still ate at him, especially after what had happened at Leblanc with that Prosecutor lady threatening Boss.

His thoughts had been pushed to the side when Morgana quickly and loudly reminded him that there was something he needed to tell the rest of the group, something he had been avoiding to bring up. Now that there's nothing to stop him from stalling, Akira was forced to follow up with what he and Morgana had talked about — that Sadayo is aware that they were Phantom Thieves.

"How am I supposed to calm down?! Why does she know about you and Mona?!" Ann hissed, still angry.

"This seems to be forming a habit," Yusuke added, quiet but distinctly disappointed.

"I'm sorry Akira, but I have to agree with the rest of the group," Makoto added, clearly exasperated. "If what you're saying is true, then there's the possibility that she might know about the rest of us."

Akira could see Ryuji in the back sympathetically grimacing. After all, he had gone through something similar when his slip-up caused Makoto to find out about them so he couldn't say much to back him up.

"Just let me explain," Akira raised his hands to try to calm the ire of his group; it was probably because they were in public that no one exploded. _Yet._ "It's not as bad as looks."

"Then tell us, why tell Ms. Kawakami all of this?" Ann glared. "We understood when you wanted to help her, but this is way beyond than just helping out! I mean, she even knows about Mona!"

"Guys, I didn't tell her anything, she found out all on her own. She's a lot smarter than you give her credit for and she managed to put the pieces together." Akira turned to Makoto who was quietly taking this information. "You said it yourself; the two troublemakers who were rumored to had confronted Kamoshida and one of his victims were seen together — we'd be suspect number one. It's just that at the beginning, she wasn't bothering to notice, but as we started talking, that began to change. She sees most of us on a regular basis so she was able to figure out a few things, like the fact that you were the one that had asked me to help out with the situation involving the scammed students."

He turned to Ann who still looked suspicious. "She even noticed that I got tired and exhausted the day after the calling card was sent. If she really meant to use that against us she would have, but instead she's been helping me out. She was very grateful about what we did for her and promised me that she'd do her best to support me in return." Akira thoughtfully tilted his head. "You know, I would had probably been expelled if she hadn't stood up for me. Yes, she made many mistakes in the past — she herself admits them and deeply regrets them — but she wants to do her best to make up for those failures."

Akira let out a tired sigh, grabbing his neck as he looked away with a hint of shame. "I honestly didn't plan to tell her anything, but when she confronted me about it and genuinely offered to still support me, I felt like the least I could do is to be honest with her."

"We had initially intended to discuss this with you guys, but things just kind of fell as they did," Morgana spoke up to assist Akira's case. "While I think the Chief would had been a better choice, he isn't aware of us being Phantom Thieves, so it's probably for the best to have someone who already does. And she does have some authority. As a teacher at your school, she can probably help with alibis and such.".

Half of the group were quiet as they pondered, begrudgingly agreeing that what they explained made sense.

But Ann wasn't deterred. "If that's true, then answer me this: you say that she just wants to help, but aren't you too close to her for just that?" Her eyes were narrowed like her Thief name, on the hunt. "You actually called her by her first name when you asked us to help her."

"Yes, I remember the same thing," Makoto added, the gears in her head clearly working towards a conclusion.

' _Did I really do that?'_ Akira cursed internally as he awkwardly smiled.

"Now that Ann mentioned it, I also recall seeing Akira with some woman after we parted ways during the Fireworks Festival. She introduced herself as Sadayo Kawakami," Yusuke added to the list of evidence.

' _Of all the things to bring up.'_ Akira's smile twitched as he rubbed his head.

"Did he now? If I remember correctly he didn't respond to our messages for quite some time." Makoto glared at Akira like an investigator was interrogating a prisoner.

"For real?! You were with Ms. Kawakami?!" even Ryuji joined in.

At this moment, Akira wished he could strangle Morgana for suggesting to tell the group about Sadayo. It raised their suspicion of her and now because of frustratingly unrelated factors, they were getting really close to finding out about his and Sadayo's relationship. He thought he was prepared to face the group's anger at another outsider who learned that he was a Phantom Thief, but he did not expect to have Ann and Makoto double-teaming him for answers. Especially Ann, who was pushing the hardest.

Akira took a deep breath. He didn't want to do this, but... "Fine, you're right. Ms. Kawakami and I are, indeed... much closer."

The others immediately went quiet. Hoping that the surrounding sea of the public wasn't listening, Akira kept his eyes forward and took in the suspicious, worried, and curious looks of his group. Ryuji in particular audibly gulped at the — _correct_ — implications.

After moments of suspense, Akira scratched his head, finally looking away. The group's constant stare was making him uncomfortable. "The truth of the matter is… well… she and I... have become really close friends."

"Friends..." Ann parroted, still skeptical.

"For real?" Ryuji deflated, backing away.

"So basically the same thing as that doctor. It really is a pattern," Yusuke concluded.

"You can't be serious?" Makoto questioned, still in investigator mode.

"I am," Akira affirmed. "As I kept seeing her we got to talking, and at some point we became comfortable enough with each other to talk about more personal things. It's why I had told her about my arrest and why I found out about her situation." He shrugged. "Like I said, she's not bad if you get to know her. She can actually be fun to hang out with."

"So the first name thing..." Makoto pressed.

"Sorry, that was a bit of a slip. I was really angry and 'Sadayo' just came out since it's much shorter than 'Ms. Kawakami'," Akira scratched his head, self-deprecating. "It's a bit awkward for her because she still sees herself as my teacher, but she's gotten used to me calling her that so it kind of slipped my mind there."

"And the meeting at the Festival?"

"That was purely coincidental; I just happened to run into her while she was eating at the station and offered me one of her bentos while we chatted and waited for the crowds to thin out. But then I ran into Yusuke and we left together soon after."

"It _is_ true that the area was filled with people, and it is also true what he saying about him accompanying me soon after." Yusuke confirmed, much to Akira's relief. "There were also only two bento… alas." His expression warned that if he was not cut off, he might begin to wax on about the very bento being eaten in front of him.

"But then, why didn't you tell us before?" Ann asked, still doubtful as she interjected, overriding the start of Yusuke's monologue.

But she was wavering. Akira hid a relieved and triumphant smile and did his best to maintain a cool and collected attitude. "Is it really so surprising? You're still upset at the school staff, so I didn't want to add to that. The only reason I'm telling you now is because we are a team, and as your leader I have to take responsibility for my mistake of letting our secret out, as well as let you know of any allies that our group has in case any of you need help."

"I-I guess that makes sense..." Ann begrudgingly conceded, unable to hide her bias against the school staff.

Akira then turned to Makoto, figuring her line of thought. "And no. We may be friends, but the most that it affects us at school is that she's willing to actually hear me out and stand up for me when others won't. She's made it very clear to me that she hopes that I do well at school on my own merits. That while she will be cheering me on, she won't help me in any way that she wouldn't do for the other students." Akira gave a nervous smile as he scratched his cheek. "She was very particular about cheating, and I know that she won't hesitate if I pull something like that. You'd probably approve of her, Makoto."

"I… see..." Makoto trailed off, not sure what to say.

"But see, this is exactly why we've been keeping it a secret," Akira leaned against the rail and let sourness cross his expression. "Not many would care if Dr. Takemi and I are friends, but if the school found out about Sadayo and I—" he paused at the group's conflicted expression, but figured he'd let them get used to it, "—you know that they'll try to use that against me. Even if it causes her to be hit by the crossfire, especially now that she has put herself on the line to vouch for me. They will definitely accuse her of helping me cheat. They'll expel me and fire her."

The anger at Sadayo's circumstances at her old school was familiar and confrontational. He didn't want to alarm his friends again so he forcefully cooled it off before letting worry settle on his face. "I know I keep asking a lot from you guys, but could you please keep this a secret for us?"

"Well, she did help Akira back then," Makoto admitted before clearing her throat. "I guess what's done is done. It is true that having other allies could help us out if we ever need it and she has proven to be willing to keep our secret as well. So I think we can give her the benefit of the doubt."

Akira let out a sigh of relief as the rest nodded in agreement.

Then Makoto gave him a glare, causing Akira to flinch. "Since the matter has been brought up, I still have one question. What happened with you after we fought the guardians that were extorting her? You were _this_ close to killing them!" She furiously whispered. Fear and wariness crossed her face, before her sense of justice reasserted itself. "I've **never** seen you that angry and for a second, we actually thought you went off the deep end!"

"Woah, hold up!" Ryuji interrupted. "Like, I get that it got crazy at the end, but it's not like he's been the only one to wish he could, uh, off someone." He nodded at their uncomfortable expressions. "I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, I honestly didn't care if Kamoshithead ended up dead after what happened to Suzui. You felt the same way too, didn't you Ann?"

"Can't deny that ending him didn't cross my mind," Ann scowled, not too pleased at being reminded of that, before she joined Makoto in glaring at Akira. "But that was because I couldn't forgive what he had done to Shiho, but during all of that _Akira_ was the voice of reason. Not once did he snapped like that for anyone else!"

"And I specifically told you about something like that happening," Makoto added, "but you told me you had it under control, so I didn't question it. So spill. What the hell happened there?"

By this point, Akira was tired; he didn't even need to hide his exasperation. "I told you already, Sadayo and I are friends. I saw firsthand just how their treatment of her was slowly killing her, both physically and emotionally, and I knew that she had been dealing with that kind of abuse weekly for more than a year now. So yeah, I got pissed when they switched from guilt-tripping to full-on blackmail."

Akira took off his glasses, a constant reminder of the mask he has to wear just to even try to have a normal life at school. "When I thought back to how much they ruined her life for all those years, I couldn't help but think of that drunk bastard that had me arrested. Just like when she tried to help that kid, I got ruined for helping that woman. You know what I've had to deal with since I got here," he smiled mirthlessly, "so when they admitted that they didn't even have a reason for doing what they did, that they did it simply because they felt inferior…"

He didn't need to finish the sentence. The group was silent, most likely reflecting on the people that ruined them simply because of jealousy or pettiness. And probably because of guilt that they forced him to bring up bad memories. As much as he hoped that it would deter them from asking anymore about Sadayo, he understood their concerns and didn't want them to hesitate if they wanted to talk to him because of this. After all, he was their leader.

He put his glasses back with an encouraging smile. "Come on guys, don't look at me like that. What's happened in the past is done. I don't even remember the guy's face or name so going after him won't do me any good. So let's just focus on what's in front of us." He nodded at the pensive group in front of him. "I mean, we haven't properly celebrated Makoto joining our team yet."

"Oh yeah! The Fireworks Festival was a total wash," Ryuji joined in, bouncing faster than the rest of the group. He clearly wanted to help ease the air. "Summer is about to start though, so we should go somewhere nice."

"Says the person who still has to go to supplementary classes," Morgana sniped from Akira's bag.

"Who asked you, you stupid cat?!" Ryuji snapped back with his usual retort. "Anyway, remember Kaneshiro's Treasure? Well, prepare to have your minds' blown! We got one hundred and fifty thousand yen out of it! Add the amount we got from those smug guardians and we are completely loaded!"

"That's true, I completely forgot about that! We can really go all out," Ann added in wonder.

"I would prefer we don't spend it all in one place. That's going to make us stand out way too much, but I do agree it would be nice to go somewhere nice," Makoto reminded the group, her interests obvious.

"Then how about sushi?" Ryuuji brightened. "I could really go for some eel!"

"Oh sushi! Make sure to save some for me as well!" Morgana spoke excitedly.

"Yeah, that could work!" Ann joined in on the excitement.

Akira leaned on the railing in relief at seeing the group move from his interrogation and begin to relax. He smiled and nodded. "Sushi it is then."

"Still…" Makoto said; and like clockwork, the group swiveled to face her.

' _I thought too soon,'_ Akira mentally deadpanned.

"Considering what we discussed, I do feel that Akira owes us an apology."

"Oh, let's have Akira in charge of the entire bill!" Ann happily suggested.

"Wait, that's—"

"An excellent suggestion, Ann," Makoto ignored his half-hearted protest. "Very well, he'll be responsible for paying for our celebration party. After all, it was his idea to take so much money from the couple and I'm sure he still has plenty of his share. That means we can save the Kaneshiro funds for the group. He is our leader after all."

"Yeah, but—"

"That's quite an opportunity. It will allow me to try out all of the options and expand my horizons," Yusuke thought to himself out loud.

"There are definitely some really fancy stuff that you'd never get to try, so you should probably order multiples so you can properly enjoy it." Ann offered impishly as the group began to disperse for the day.

Deciding not to point out that he was always the one in charge of the celebration meals and supplies anyway, Akira was left with no other counter argument as the rest agreed with the punishment. He managed to avoid the worst result, but he still felt like he had lost. Part of him wanted to hang out with Sadayo after dealing with that, but he was still too afraid to tell her about Alibaba, not until he had found a solution to their problem.

Instead, the only comfort he got was from Ryuji who patted him on his shoulder. "I feel ya man."

* * *

"Any time you're done, Sakamoto-kun," a sweating Sadayo reminded her sullen student, fanning herself as she waited for him to finish his assignment.

The supplementary course was almost done for the day and all the other students had already finished and handed in their assignments. To no one's surprise, only Sakamoto-kun remained, grunting his frustration at being stuck. Unfortunately for the two of them, the temperature today was in an all-time high and the heat wave made the situation all the more unbearable.

Some time passed, but eventually Sakamoto-kun frustratedly groaned as he grabbed his head. "I just don't get this! My brain is too fried from the damn heat! I mean what kind of title is 'Norwegian Wood'?!"

"It's based out of a Beatle song which is the main character's favorite," Sadayo laid her head on her hand, exasperated. "You'd know that if you paid attention in class instead of texting, Sakamoto-kun."

"All I'm saying is that it's a weird title for a book." Sakamoto-kun started to pull his hair. "Why is reading these kinds of books so important?!"

Sadayo massaged her forehead. The heat was not helping her mood. "Are you done, Sakamoto-kun?"

Sakamoto-kun planted his face on his desk, defeated. "Yes Ma'am."

Letting out a sigh, Sadayo eyed her student for a moment. "If you're stuck then you shouldn't hesitate to ask questions. Staying quiet won't do you any good." She got up and moved to the seat in front of his and turned it around to join him on the table, much to her student's surprise. "So tell me, what **can** you tell me about the story?"

"Huh? Ummmm…"

Sadayo shook her head at Sakamoto-kun's dumbfounded expression. "You never read the book, did you?"

"Ain't into reading," Sakomoto-kun shrugged off.

"The number of mangas that I've confiscated from you says otherwise," Sadayo deadpanned at her student with a raised brow.

Sakamoto-kun simply looked away, disinterested.

Sadayo scratched her head in frustration as she tried to figure out how to explain it in a way that he could understand. "Tell me, what would you do if two girls showed interest in you?"

"Huh?" The question seemed to pique his interest more than she anticipated. "Why would that happen?"

"Just hear me out," Sadayo continued, feeling more confident in her plan. "You have one girl who you've known for a long time. You get along well and worry about each other. You tend to think alike and you've been there for one another through some tough times. But, there is something that happened with her that might prevent you from ever getting together with her. Something that could be overcome, but it is also likely to always be there. Now, add to this is that she's very vulnerable because of past circumstances." Sadayo noticed how lost in thought her student was with her explanation. "Are you following me so far?"

"Huh, oh yeah…"

"Now imagine that during this confusion another girl shows up. She's very different to the previous girl, but holds many of the qualities that you find appealing. You also get along and she seems to enjoy your company as well. You might even find yourself feeling more comfortable with being yourself around her, even with things that you worry others would judge you for. But the future's uncertain; you just met her, after all. What if she turns out to be a different person than you thought she was? And what of the other girl? Is it fair to just give up on her because of her situation and go for the new one which seems more in your favor? Doesn't that make the feelings for the other girl a bit superficial?"

Sadayo lifted her palms up like a scale, as if presenting different offers to Sakamoto-kun. "So which do you choose? The familiar with the girl that you've known for a long time? Or the new girl who seemed to have sparked something new in you? And keep in mind that even if you choose one, it's still not a certain win."

Sakamoto-kun scratched his head, expression conflicted in a way that Sadayo had never seen before. He took a long time to answer. "Can't say that I know…" He deflated. "Not like that's ever going to happen with me though."

"You never know, but it got you thinking, right?" Sadayo pointed out. "Stories like these help you see things through other people's eyes. See things from a different perspective and help expand your world. Who knows, it might change your aesthetic on things."

"My what now?"

"Your principles, Sakamoto-kun."

"See, why do you have to use big words like that or 'cognition' when there are simpler words?"

' _Cognition?_ ' Sadayo was curious about why Sakamoto-kun of all people would bring up a word like that, but decided to keep focus on the topic at hand. "Because expanding your vocabulary can help you impress other people and open up more avenues for you."

"We both know that those kinds of things ain't for me," Ryuji shrugged, disinterested.

"Don't you have any goals in mind when you graduate? Aren't you motivated to better yourself?" Sadayo asked, slightly annoyed but worried, frustrated that _she_ was the one frustrated instead of him.

"Hard to say. I originally planned to get a scholarship through track so that I could go to college without burdening my mom, but…" Sakamoto-kun scratched his head with despondently before sighing. "And I'm not smart enough so it ain't like I'll be able to make it with my grades, so I'm probably better off just getting a job once I finish high school."

Sadayo was quiet for some time, before speaking in a shamed tone, "I'm sorry..."

"Huh?" Sakamoto-kun looked back at Sadayo. "What do you mean?"

"All this time, I ignored your problem and just constantly nagged and criticized you. But not once did I extend an ear and tried to understand your position and why you had changed so much. I never bothered to question why you struck at Kamoshida, even though you didn't cause problems before. Never wondered why you would bleach your hair and start acting like a delinquent and causing problems when you used to be so dedicated to track team."

Sadayo gripped her notebook, unable to look at her student as she was reminded of what she had told her mother. "I know that you and Kurusu-kun are good friends, and I'm sure that you heard me when I tried to convince him to not associate with you. At that point, I was just thinking of my own convenience, caring more about how it would affect me as his teacher if you dragged him into trouble. It was cruel of me to treat you like that, so I can understand why you'd hate me."

"WelI yeah, things weren't great for me back then. I lost everything because of that asshole, and I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't piss me off how no one even bothered to hear my case. The fact that most of you guys hounded my mom for what I did wasn't cool either."

Sadayo could feel the glare coming from Sakamoto-kun, as if confirming her fears. But it was surprisingly short-lived as he sighed and leaned back on his chair.

"But I'm just as guilty to blame; I let the bastard goad me into slugging him. I let my team down, I let our old coach down, and in the end, I was the one that made things worse for my mom," another sigh from Sakamoto-kun. "All that stuff had already happened, so there's no reason to dwell on it. Besides, you may nag at me constantly but you didn't bring my mother into it. So I guess, I'm thankful for that."

Hearing that made Sadayo a bit relieved that despite her failure, she wasn't hated by one of Akira's friends. At least, not him. "While I'm glad to hear that, that still doesn't stop the fact that my negligence hindered your future. I don't deserve your thanks. I only kept quiet because I just didn't care…" Sadayo turned back to her student and gave him a light bow. "I'm sorry. I failed you as your teacher. But if you give me another chance, I promise to do better by you all."

Sakamoto-kun just rubbed his head as he looked away awkwardly, obviously embarrassed.

Sadayo took that as a sign that she was getting through him. "It's because of this that I think that you should really put a lot more effort in your studies, like before. Your grades weren't that great, but at least you actually tried. I mean, I know you say you don't want to burden your mother, but have you asked her about this?"

Her student remained quiet. The discomfort in his face was a clear answer.

"You haven't, right?" Sadayo tapped her chin for a moment, wondering if it was a good idea to even suggest what she has in mind before speaking up. "Do you want me to be there for when you ask her?"

"Huh?" Sakamoto-kun whipped back to Sadayo, wide-eyed.

"I know that it's not easy to talk to your mother about stuff like this, so why don't we discuss it with her? You could come here or I can come to your place. What do you think?"

"I-I'm not really sure about that."

"Just think about it. We still have until the end of the week, okay?"

"I guess," he sighed, before he went back to his work.

Sadayo decided to leave things as they are and stood up. Occasionally, she'd peek back at her student and saw a renewed effort to finish. Eventually, amidst angry mutters and groans, Sakamoto-kun finished his work.

"You know," he said as he handed his paper to Sadayo, "Akira was right about you. You really changed a lot."

"Huh?"

"It's fine, he already told us about you two."

"Waitwaitwait, hold up!" Sadayo stood up, on the verge of panicking. "Wha-what exactly did he say?!"

"You know, that he told you about us being Phantom Thieves and how you two are friends. He also told us about what happened with you and those guardians, and honestly, after seeing them I can't really blame yah. It was a pretty messed thing they put you through."

"I… see." Sadayo took a seat once more, slightly calmed. While she was surprised that he knew of her situation, she was relieved that he didn't seem to hold it against her. Most importantly, there was no mention of the maid service or dating Akira. ' _So we're friends, huh? I guess that works. Wait, seeing them?!'_

Still... she was slightly miffed that she learned about her 'non-romantic friendship' through Akira's friend instead of directly from Akira himself.

Speaking of Sakamoto-kun… Sadayo noticed that he was annoyed, but she was surprised at his seriousness when he spoke of the Takases. She suspected that he was part of the Phantom Thieves, but the way he talked about the couple made her feel like he'd seen his fair share of situations like this.

Akira probably gone though the same thing as well. The Phantom Thieves must have confronted many people who had done terrible actions and hurt others. She worried about how it must feel to witness such things constantly. Worrying if that kind of responsibility was forcing them to grow up too quickly.

"Still, you should really be more careful about stuff like that," Sadayo frowned. "He didn't tell me anything directly; just confirmed what I asked him. He only admitted about him and Morgana."

"It's fine," Sakamoto-kun calmly stretched after having to remain seated for so long. "Akira trusts you enough to let you know. So if he's okay with it then so am I."

"If you say so..." Sadayo looked at her student in disbelief.

It was a simple matter to gather their things and head out. Sadayo trailed behind the energetic Sakamoto-kun and glimpsed his texts of freedom as he typed on his phone. On seeing the familiar icon congratulating Sakamoto-kun, Sadayo was reminded of the issue plaguing her all week.

"So… how is Kurusu-kun doing? I haven't talked to him in some time, but I imagine this whole Medjed thing is very stressful." Although Akira did say he wasn't worried about it, it still bothered Sadayo.

"It's been crazy, but we finally got a lead on what we can do," Sakamoto-kun nonchalantly answered, still typing. "He's been particularly invested in this one though, probably 'cause of who she's related to?"

"She…?" Sadayo parroted, confused as she turned the corner with her student. They nearly bumped into a waiting student.

"Did it really have to take you this long? Everyone else is waiting on us," Niijima-san said.

' _So she's also a Phantom Thief too?'_ Sadayo thought. Niijima-san was with Takamaki-chan when Sadayo defended Akira, and now that the School President was associating with two confirmed Phantom Thieves, it wasn't a stretch to get that conclusion.

Nijima-san gave her a polite bow, but there was an accompanying scrutiny that was edging into a glare. Sadayo felt like she was being examined but let it be; there was nothing she can do, and Niijima-san was probably just looking after her friends. So Sadayo simply returned the bow with a nod and watched the two students leave.

"It's fine," Sakamoto-kun replied to his friend, "I'm sure Akira got some supplies so it would be a while anyway. You didn't have to wait here."

"I have my responsibilities as president, and I wanted to make sure _someone_ didn't forget where to meet up," Niijima-san retorted as she typed on her phone.

"Yeah yeah..." Sakamoto-kun then turned towards Sadayo, grinning happily at her for the first time as he waved goodbye. "Later Kawakami."

"Please remember what I asked you, okay?" Sadayo waved back, before realizing what Sakamoto-kun said. "And that's **Ms.** Kawakami!"

* * *

[S]: Hey, is everything okay?

[S]: Please contact me as soon as you can.

[S]: I need to talk to you.

Sadayo placed her phone to the side and proceeded to wait once more, hoping to get a response. She hadn't heard much from Akira outside of school since last Tuesday and every time she saw him he seemed like something was bothering him. She tried meeting up with him last Saturday, but sadly it seemed that even then he was busy. While she had to admit that it had made going through the last few days of school before summer much easier, it also made her worry.

"I know we said that we needed to be professional and keep our distance at school, but that didn't mean that he had to avoid me." She laid down on her side as doubt started to cause her to become concerned.

The only message she'd gotten was when she texted him about the Medjed broadcast to cleanse Japan was a, "Leave it to me, I won't let them." Other than that, nothing. No good morning or good night, no wondering if they wanted to meet or asking her for help. Even those teasing remarks had stopped.

"Is he having second thoughts about this? Maybe he was unhappy when I set those rules? Maybe he's starting to be annoyed since we can't be together in public?" Sadayo wrapped her arms around herself, feeling very small at the moment. "Maybe… maybe he's bored with me already."

Sadayo quickly sat up, shaking off those thoughts. "No! Kurusu-kun isn't like that! I know first-hand how stubborn he can be. He wouldn't give up that easily and I shouldn't doubt him." In an attempt to keep her mind busy she grabbed one of her newer books from Airi Himura who seemed to be published another books just recently. Just as she read a sentence for the umpteenth time, her phone began to ring. She leapt and picked it up. "Hello?"

Her heart swelled at the voice she had been aching to hear. "Hey… what's up…?"

"Are you okay?" Sadayo frowned. Something was… off. "You don't sound very well. I haven't really heard from you in a while so I was beginning to worry."

"Sorry, just… a lot of stuff has been happening."

Sadayo recognized that tone; until just recently, she herself sounded the same. She immediately stood up and went off to get her things, phone still in hand. " I'm heading over, just wait for me, okay?"

"I-I don't think that's a good idea," Akira responded, sounding much more unsure than she'd ever heard him. "I just got back from an infiltra — I mean Phantom Thief work. My body is honestly at its limit."

"Then that's more reason why I should come over. What if you fall and you can't reach anyone? I know Mona is there but you'll need someone to help you up."

"Sadayo..."

"Please, just sit tight. I'll be there soon. We can talk then."

There was a moment of silence, no response coming from the other end. Sadayo was beginning to worry that something did happen. "Aki—"

"Okay… I'll wait for you here."

Sadayo sagged in relief even as she hurried to prepare. "Just sit tight, I'll be there soon."

* * *

When Sadayo entered Leblanc, she found Akira resting his head on the counter by the yellow public phone. "Well, this scene seems familiar."

Akira's vanity glasses were missing, but his eyes were bright as he turned towards her. "Hopefully, it doesn't end the same way," he smirked.

His arms shook when he tried to get up, so Sadayo quickly stepped in. "Here, let me help." She let Akira place his arms around her. "Let's get you upstairs."

"Aren't we forward tonight?"

"One more word and I'll drop you," Sadayo deadpanned, too worried for one of Akira's jokes at the moment.

Pressed close to him, Sadayo could feel the tension of his body as she helped him walk up the stairs at a snail's pace. Once they reached the second floor she was greeted by a cat practically draped over the arm of the couch.

"It's good to see you, Ms. Kawakami. I'm sorry that you have to witness such an unrefined sight," Morgana meowed out before slumping back down.

"He says he's happy to see you and sorry for looking like a mess," Akira translated.

"No kidding, you both look terrible," Sadayo frowned as she helped him cross the lengthy gap to the bed. "What happened?"

"Nothing to worry about. Just a few bruises and nicks. Most of it are phantom pains."

"Phantom pain?" Sadayo raised her brow in disbelief, which got a chuckle from him.

"Just lingering pains, nothing harmful or serious but they sure hurt like hel—" Akira winced, causing him to stumble.

"Ah, Kurusu-kun!" Sadayo quickly tightened her grip, making sure he didn't fall.

"Sorry. Doing our Phantom Thief thing takes a lot out of us."

"Come on, let's get you on the bed."

Once Sadayo was able to finally place him on the bed, Akira turned himself around and sat up, using the wall to prop himself as he looked towards his standing girlfriend. "Thanks."

"Are you going to be okay?" Sadayo wrung her hands. "I know it's late but maybe we can try contacting Dr. Takemi? She's the one that looks after you when you're hurt, right?"

"It's fine. These are nowhere close to the worst I've gotten and it's mostly because my muscles are sore. I should be fine after some rest."

"So the problem is your sore muscles?" Sadayo asked, feeling upset that he had gone through worse. Something to think about later. Right now, her boyfriend wasn't in a worse state, and he needed her. Although…

Sadayo bit her lip as she looked away to eye the couch. An idea came to mind, though she was feeling a bit embarrassed about suggesting it.

"Usually, yeah," Akira answered.

"Have you tried anything that could help it recover faster? Your body that is," Sadayo asked, still flustered, but relieved once she confirmed that Morgana had already conked out for the night.

"I've never really tried so I can't say." Akira raised an eyebrow at her questions. "I'm always worried about going to the bath house for fear of drowning when I'm like this. And I'll be honest, the last thing I want is to cover myself in those heat pads like some sort of mummy."

"Well, what if I can help with that?" Sadayo said nervously as her hands fidgeted.

"With the…" Akira almost coughed out, face bright red and eyes wide open, "bath house?"

"NO! Not like that!" Sadayo yelled out in embarrassment, her face just as red. "I was talking about relaxing your body! Wait, but not in like a weird way or anything, just in ah..." She quieted down before she dug herself deeper, sighing as chuckles came from the bed.

Buying herself some time to think, Sadayo took a seat at the end of the bed, an arm's length from her boyfriend. "If you want I can give you a massage and see if that helps out. I was taught while I was working at Victoria since it was one of those special offers. I'm quite good at it too if I do say so myself!" Sadayo cheerfully proclaimed as she pumped her fists confidently, deciding to go all-out before she can chicken out. "So what do you say?"

Akira looked at the couch in thought, now understanding why she kept glancing at it. If the massage did work, it could really help him out, and anything that gets rid of the pain is fine by him. On the other hand...

He glanced at Sadayo who was watching him excitedly.

' _She's only working on my back, right?'_

Akira swallowed the lump in his throat. "Okay, let's give it a try. As long as you're sure."

"Of course I'm sure. I'm the one who's suggesting it. Now please lie down Mas—" Sadayo quickly bit her tongue and looked away, embarrassed once more about how easy it was for her to slip into calling him that, not helped by the chuckles she heard again. Resigned but still determined to help, Sadayo turned back towards him. "Anyway let's get startwhatareyoudoing?!"

Akira paused from removing his shirt, perplexed that his girlfriend was covering her eyes. "I figured it would be easier on you if I took my shirt off. I'm used to doing this when Takemi examines me anyway so I don't—"

"Customers were required to keep their clothing on during our jobs so I can do it just fine with it on! And why would I care if she sees you?!" Sadayo yelled out in a rush as she continued to cover her eyes. It shouldn't have been a big deal, but the fact that a _male_ student of hers was undressing in front of her made it all the more embarrassing. Wrong. _Scandalous_.

Not helped by this was the jealous ping she felt at learning that Dr. Takemi had not only seen him shirtless, but has done so multiple times. Sadayo knew it was simply part of the doctor's job, but...

Sadayo shook her head at her pettiness. She peeked through her fingers to check Morgana, who seemed to be still asleep. ' _How tired is he to sleep through all that?'_

Meanwhile, Akira simply shrugged and put his shirt back on. He laid down on the bed, face-down by his pillow, clinging to it in veiled trepidation. "Okay, I'm dressed. You can look back now."

Despite his assurance, Sadayo remained in place in an effort to calm her beating heart from jumping out. Though she couldn't hide forever so she turned back towards her bemused student. He looked fine, but in the short glimpse that she saw before panicking, she was able to notice a few marks on his body. The most noticeable was the one on his right side, the same side that she remembered seeing him hold in pain when he fell down right after confessing to her.

She climbed on the bed, slipping her shoes off to avoid dirtying the mattress and kneeled by him. "Just relax, and let me know if anything hurts, okay?" Sadayo gently spoke as she placed her hands on his back and waited for his go-ahead. When she saw Akira nod, she began to work.

He was still rigid, so Sadayo began to apply pressure, her palms forming small circles as she kneaded his muscles. "You really are stiff. Do you mind if I put a bit more pressure?"

Akira gave another nod, too preoccupied to give a verbal response.

With his permission she began to press harder, putting her weight into it, causing his body to twitch. But she could feel his body starting to soften and relax, noticeably when he finally rested his head on the pillow he was clutching and practically melted on the bed. Sadayo giggled, "I'm guessing that you're enjoying this service."

"They definitely taught you well over there," Akira's tone finally sounded more comfortable and relaxed. "I could get used to having you do this."

"I'll think about it," Sadayo giggled, finding amusement in the fact that the "violent" and "scary" delinquent that everyone at school was so afraid of looked so cute and complacent from her touch. It admittedly made her want to tease him a bit, but for tonight, she decided to focus on making him feel better. After all, if what he's said was anything to go by, she'd have other opportunities in the future.

Avoiding to put heavy pressure on his right side, Sadayo continued to work on his back, enjoying the soft moans that he'd let out at times as a good sign for what to do. Eventually, she expanded her work to his shoulders, legs and arms, giving each portion her loving attention. When his body was entirely pliant and relaxed, Sadayo knew she was done and shuffled back. She placed her shoes on and got off the bed to let Akira sit up.

"So, how do you feel?" Sadayo asked confidently, hands on her hips.

Akira began rolling his shoulders, stretching and moving his arms, trying to feel if there were any lingering signs of the pain or stiffness in his body, but much to his surprise they were mostly gone. While there were small pains from some bruises and cuts that still remained, they weren't limiting his movement. "Wow, I feel great!"

"That's good. I'm glad that some of the stuff I learned over there could be of use," Sadayo admitted, relieved. Despite her concerns, Akira seemed to be acting like his usual self. But then it had her wondering — what was going on that had him looking so bothered constantly? Why had he been avoiding her?

"Hey Kurusu-kun… can I ask you something?" Sadayo grabbed her arm nervously, insecurities still lingering in her mind.

"Sure, what's on your mind?"

"I messaged you several times, but you rarely answered back, and even if you did you just told me you were busy. I understand that you have a lot on your plate, especially with all the stuff with Medjed happening; it's a worldwide group after all. But back then, before we started dating, you still took the time to have me over." Sadayo lowered her head, hoping that she didn't sound clingy or whiny.

But she wanted to know the truth. "I was doing chores but you always made the time to talk with me when you got back, even if it was for a bit. So why not now? Why have you been keeping your distance this past week? Is there something going on?"

The moment she turned back to Akira, his complexion was already pale. He turned away from her for a second, only to face her again with a reassuring smile.

"Just a lot of things going on. Sorry for not contacting you sooner."

"Kurusu-kun..."

"I'll take care of it, so don't worry."

Sadayo glared, unconvinced. This wasn't the first time that she'd seen him put up a facade. When he had been threatened with expulsion, he tried to play off his problems as nothing. She knew this, because until recently, she had been the same.

She knew first-hand how lonely that feeling was, how many times she wished she could had talked to him and her mother, but instead she pushed them away. But despite that, he never left her and continued to push, and her mother never wavered in trying to contact her. So Sadayo intended to do the same for him.

Sadayo stepped toward her bothered boyfriend and crouched to meet him at eye-level. She repeated, with obvious concern, "Kurusu-kun… what's going on?"

"Nothing," Akira replied as he looked away, only for Sadayo's hand to guide him back toward her eyes.

"You told me that you'd let me know about your Phantom Thievery but that I only get one question per meeting, right? Well, that's my Phantom Thief Question of the night: what's got you so bothered?"

"Sadayo..." Akira clenched his hand tightly. Without his vanity glasses it was harder to obscure what he was thinking as his eyes darted to all directions to find another object of focus that wasn't her. He'd be quite impressed with how she used their deal to corner him for an answer if he wasn't dreading what he had to confess. "Are you sure that you want to use that on this?"

Straightening from her crouch, Sadayo gave Akira a firm nod.

"Okay, but please, just let me explain..." Akira let out a long exhale. Admittedly, he was a bit relieved that this would no longer be a secret and that he has more information now compared to a few days ago. "First of all, I'm sure that you're aware of what Medjed has been doing."

"Yeah," Sadayo nodded, sitting beside him. "Everyone is in a panic about what is going to happen. I mean, targeting the entire country is crazy. You'd think that the national defense or the police would get involved at that point. Although didn't you tell me you weren't worried about them?"

"Let me get to that," Akira nervously chuckled. "The group has targeted companies and got away with no problems so I'm sure that they are good at keeping hidden. Honestly, if it wasn't for the cruel acts that they've pulled in the past, I'd wish we had someone like them on our side. The last few days have made it painfully obvious how hindered we are when it comes to the digital stuff. We really just rely on information from the Phan-Site and quick searches online."

"Honor among thieves?" Sadayo snarked, reminding herself that despite his kind and caring nature, her boyfriend is, in all legal sense, a wanted criminal.

"Only those I put my trust on. So the whole anonymous thing makes it a deal breaker," Akira chuckled, doing his best to keep his nerves in check. "Anyway, we got contacted by a third party by the name of Alibaba. She said that if we could help her, she would provide us with info on the Medjed members, or even take care of them directly."

"That's... very suspicious," Sadayo frowned. "Awfully convenient timing."

"I thought the same thing, but at the time there wasn't much I could do. And, uh…" Akira rubbed his arm, his previously relaxed muscles all tense. "Uh, Alibaba knows about me, as the leader of the Phantom Thieves. She even sent a card addressed to me at the Boss' place..."

Akira swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat, and forced out,

"And… she knows about us."

Sadayo has always been beautiful, even with rings of tiredness, slightly sunken cheeks, and now paling skin. Akira watched in fascination and trepidation as horror morphed her expression into a new level of wide-eyed panic. He slowly raised his hands, like approaching a cornered animal. "Sadayo…."

"Wha—what do you mean that—"

"Sadayo, let me—"

"How!? Sadayo quickly jumped to her feet, her fingers running through her hair as she started to ventilate. "How were we—?! We've only just started! We'd been so careful—"

"Sadayo—"

"What are we going to do?! If that info gets leaked out — if the school finds out — we'll be—"

"Sadayo!" Akira grabbed her arm and urgently but gently turned her towards him. Guilt gnawed him inside when he saw the forming tears and her normally-combed pigtails threatening to escape her hair ties.

"Listen to me, I won't let that happen! I'll make sure that that information won't spread any further, and I'll find out how it got out in the first place." Akira leaned in as he rested his forehead against her and closed his eyes, wanting her to focus on him and his voice. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner. I'm sorry that I wasn't able to keep my promise. But I won't let anything happen to you."

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo trailed off, at a loss. His face was so close to her that her heart began racing about the prospects of what might happen if she moved just a little closer. It helped to refocus her head from her panic and made her realize that this must have been what was eating at him.

She cursed her weakness. All this time, Akira was terrified of what might happen yet he still carried all the weight on his own, and even now, comforted her. She said she'd be there for him, but all she did was panic. Sadayo cursed herself on how much she relied on her student and boyfriend, but at the same time, she felt so lucky to have found him.

"I'm sorry…" Sadayo exhaled, nuzzling her forehead against his affectionately. "I was just so scared about what would happen to us, and I—"

"It's fine, I screwed up as well. I should have told you sooner, but I'm working on it."

"Then why don't we talk about what we should do?" Sadayo pulled away, but held on to Akira's hand, giving it a warm squeeze as she gently led him. She did her best to give Akira a smile, letting him know that she was feeling a bit better despite her lingering worry. "Let's go downstairs; I'll make us some coffee while you tell me the rest."

"You don't have to—"

"I want to," Sadayo quickly interrupted, her hand squeezing his again to induce more calm. "Honestly, if I don't keep myself busy I'll start panicking about it again, so I might as well do something productive."

Akira squeezed her hand back as his thumb gently caressed her hand, sighing with a relieved smile. "Then sure, why don't we have you make one of my blends?" Unable to stop himself, he reached his other hand up to run it through her hair, letting the soft strands fall out of their binds as they draped over his hand. "Beautiful…"

"Flirt," Sadayo blushed, her heart skipping a beat. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she missed hearing Akira's compliments after a week of silence. She lead Akira by their intertwined hands, passing the slumbering Morgana on their way to the stairs. She never let go, still trying to recollect herself from her display of weakness and rallied her confidence as a dependable adult.

Once downstairs, she asked him to take a seat and began working on the coffee, trying to remember what Akira had taught her the last time she tried. "So, what does this… Alibaba want from you?"

"She wants us to steal someone's heart. If we do that, then she'd help us deal with Medjed."

"Must be some big target if someone who can deal with Medjed hasn't done anything yet."

"Actually, the target is small. Her name is Futaba Sakura."

Sadayo nearly spilled her pot of water. "Wait, as in, someone related to Sakura-san?"/

"Yeah… turns out Boss has a daughter he hasn't told any of us about. She keeps to herself, locked in her room, unable to leave the house. She's actually the main reason why the Boss didn't want me to stay at his place, worried that that would stress her out." Akira sighed, sullen. "I can't give you the full details, but let's just say that she's gone through a lot."

"That's so sad..." Sadayo's heart ached, imagining what the poor girl must have gone through to become a shut-in. She began boiling the water. "But wait, why would someone want to target her? It doesn't sound like she's done anything to warrant that attack."

"Yeah, I thought so too. We tried getting more info on the target, but it seemed that doing so caused Alibaba to immediately back down."

"Wait, she threatened you, but then backed away just because you asked questions? Why?"

"Because Alibaba **is** Futaba Sakura."

"Are you serious?!" Sadayo gaped, pausing her bean-grinding. "Why didn't you just say that from the start?!"

"Sorry, context was kind of necessary beforehand," Akira chuckled nervously as he leaned slightly away from the frustrated Sadayo, trying not to fall from his stool. "But yeah, our target ended up as our very own blackmailer and benefactor. She wants us to steal her own heart, but was too afraid to tell us directly. So she contacted us as someone unrelated."

"So she _wants_ you to steal her own heart?" Sadayo repeated, just to wrap her head around it. "How does that work exactly?"

"One question at a time," Akira retorted with a smug face, now relaxed and back to his usual self.

"Oh, fine," Sadayo rolled her eyes and resumed her brewing. Soon, she was pouring black liquid into two porcelain cups. She placed them on the other side of the counter before taking a seat next to him. At her boyfriend's grin, they raised their cups and clinked them together.

The nightlife was silent, but Leblanc was comfortable around them. It might be the light from the yellowing bulbs or the weathered grains from the counter, but the overall coziness seeped through their pores as they cradled their cups. The aroma was wonderful; Sadayo brightened and felt her confidence boost, especially when Akira perked as well. They blew on their cups and took their sips.

"I say that that was a success," Akira smiled, playfully nudging his girlfriend. "Congratulations."

"I'm glad..." Sadayo smiled back as she took another sip, enjoying the fruits of her effort, imagining that this must be how Akira felt when he discovered a new blend. "So, Futaba knows about us, but you say that she isn't going to tell anyone. But you still have Medjed around. So what's your plan now?" Sadayo ran her finger around the cup, feeling the mix of calm and nervousness that she was quickly becoming familiar with whenever she was with her boyfriend.. "I don't want to sound mean but… why focus on her when that big group is still looming over? She says she can take care of them, but is that actually possible?"

"The plan is to help Futaba, then deal with Medjed if she can't handle it." Akira took a sip of his coffee; once he lowered his cup, his expression was sharper, serious. No longer was he Akira Kurusu, the student from Shujin, but Joker, leader of the Phantom Thieves. "She's asking for our help, and after the stuff I've seen I can't leave her hanging. Not just for her, but Boss as well."

"What do you mean? Is something going on with Sakura-san?"

"Yeah," Akira nodded. "A prosecutor came over awhile ago. She seemed to be after some information that Boss has and was threatening him with revoking his parental authority if he didn't comply. The claim is that he is abusing Futaba and would take her away if he didn't comply."

"Wait, what?! Why would she do that just for some information?!" Sadayo immediately stood up in anger. "I mean, can that even happen?!"

Akira simply nodded.

"That's terrible," Sadayo deflated, reminded of how unfair the system could be.

"I want to help them both. I owe Boss a lot for taking me in, and I don't have a single doubt in my mind that he'd abuse her. He may be a bit blunt at times but I've been around him enough to know that he's a good guy. Plus if he is convicted of abuse," Akira sighed, worried but relieved that he can share this with his girlfriend, "he might be seen unfit to be my guardian, and I'll be taken away as well."

"Kurusu-kun…"

Akira put down his cup on the saucer, opting to stare at the coffee instead of his girlfriend's trepidation. "I've already caused a lot of problems for my parents. It was only by luck that they found Leblanc, but if I'm not able to stay with Boss, I don't think I'd have any other place to go. Ryuji and his mom have enough problems to deal with. Yusuke is at a dorm so I don't think the court would find that viable. Ann's parents are abroad and her servants don't count as ideal guardian candidates. Makoto's sister is a prosecutor, and might not like a criminal staying... "

Akira's eyes widened. "Wait, a prosecutor? Could she…? That's crazy... but they even look alike…?"

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo leaned and wrapped her arm around his. "I'm sure it will work out. You've done so much for other people, so I know you can do it."

She wished that she could do more for him. It was so unfair; after experiencing upheaval that kids his age shouldn't, losing everything was still a risk for him, even when he wasn't looking for it. Kamoshida, the close expulsion, and now this.

But even with all of that, he still fought on. Sadayo admired that in him, but she also feared that at any moment, she'd lose him because society seemed too willing to get rid of him.

That familiar fear welled up, reminding her of the time she accepted her feelings for him. Sadayo clung tightly to his arm, not willing to let go. "But... if anything were to happen... if you couldn't stay here anymore and had to find a new place... maybe you could—"

Electronic notes chimed, causing Sadayo to jump. She quickly retreated to her seat as Akira fished in his pockets.

"Pardon me," Akira apologetically said, retrieving his phone.

"It's fine," Sadayo said, even as she mentally slapped herself. ' _What is wrong with you?! What are you thinking of suggesting?! There is no way they'd allow something like that!'_

"Alibaba?!" Akira blurted in shock, causing Sadayo to join him around his small screen.

[Al]: Don't worry, as I said I will keep my word.

[Al]: Once your end is taken care of I will take care of Medjed.

[Al]: Also, I do apologize for threatening you as I did.

[Al]: I needed help, but I wasn't fully sure if you would oblige, so I needed some incentive to motivate you.

Both Akira and Sadayo looked at each other in shock.

"Kurusu-kun, how does she know about what we're talking about..."

Akira's phone pinged again.

[Al]: I suppose I could explain.

[Al]: A while ago I placed a bug on the first floor of Leblanc.

[Al]: That way I'm able to hear all that occurs in the shop.

[Al]: I will say though, I wasn't expecting to find a taboo relationship.

[Al]: If it's any consolation, I'm rooting for you both.

[Al]: Mwehehehehe

"Kurusu-kun, mind if we go outside?" Sadayo whispered with a strained smile, clearly at the end of her wits.

Akira calmly nodded and went ahead to the laundromat to make sure that it was empty. Sadayo quickly fixed her hair back into pigtails, just in case, and followed at his signal.

The laundromat was the nearest enclosed space they knew. The machines were motionless and empty of clothes, which meant that no one would be returning. ' _Unless someone came in for a late wash, like Dr. Takemi,'_ Sadayo thought, rubbing her head as she and Akira settled in the back.

Mindful of her volume, Sadayo still couldn't help but explode, hushing, "There's a bug at Leblanc?!

"I swear, I knew nothing about this," Akira hushed in return, raising his hands in innocence. "I just found out about it. We actually thought she had hacked our phones."

"Does that mean that she heard everything else about us?" Sadayo slumped down on one of the stools in defeat. "Does Sakura-san know too?"

"He doesn't, I can tell you that much. He figures I have a girlfriend of sorts, but has no idea who it is."

Akira grabbed one of the scattered stools and scooted it close to his girlfriend. As soon as he sat down, Sadayo proceeded to lean on him and rest her head on his shoulder. Seeking mutual comfort, their hands met, their fingers interweaving.

"Are we really going to be okay?" Sadayo asked, exasperated. The sheer amount of surprises in one night was stupidly infuriating.

"I don't know… It's kind of unfair that someone already found out about us before we had even started," Akira squeezed her hand, once again thumbing her callouses, comforted in the fact that she didn't let go and reciprocated his gesture with her own. "But I do know one thing — I still want to be with you."

"Same," Sadayo sighed, eased by that one sentence. It always surprised her just how calming his presence was for her. Whether with choice words or silence, all it took is to feel his touch and she would feel safe. She knew that Akira would do everything in his power to keep her safe, and she wanted to do the same for him.

After savoring minutes of peaceful quiet, Sadayo turned back towards Akira, recalling their conversation before Alibaba's interruption. "Hey, you mentioned causing problems to your family, but aren't you too hard on yourself? I mean, I'm sure they were more than willing to help you find another school."

Akira sighed, shifting on his seat for a more comfortable position, "I did more than that to them. If I had stayed any longer, I'm sure my parents would had been forced to move out. There would've been nowhere to go, except maybe back to Osaka."

"Osaka?" Sadayo grimaced as she mentally thought of the city's distance from Tokyo.

"Both my parents came and grew up from there for most of their lives, but when my mom became pregnant they decided that they wanted to raise a family in a more peaceful area, so they moved to Nishinomiya."

Sadayo opened her mouth.

"No, I was born in Nishinomiya so no one called me 'Osaka'," Akira quickly interrupted.

Sadayo pouted.

Akira chuckled. "It wasn't easy though, since my dad had to close his family's grocery shop and try to move things to the new area."

"They must have been really serious about the desire to have a good life if they were willing to give that up and start from scratch," Sadayo commented, impressed at his parents' determination. "Still, that must have been a big strain for them."

Akira nodded. "Yeah, luckily my mom had been able to help stabilize things while he got his new shop up and running. She had saved up some decent amount from her previous works. Both had worked hard to make sure I grew up in a safe environment and I guess, that dedication kind of rubbed off on me?" Akira smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "Once I was old enough to understand the effort they had taken, I offered to start helping them whenever I could. Admittedly, this meant I didn't socialize much at my school or join clubs. I didn't really talk to anyone other than—"

Sadayo blinked, surprised at how enthralled she was until he broke the spell. She wanted to ask why he stopped but Akira seemed lost in thought, before he snapped out of it and shook his head.

With a self-deprecating chuckle, Akira continued, "Anyway, that doesn't matter. When I got arrested, my school life might as well ended there and then. My parents did their best to defend me, protesting that at worst it was an accident and that they were taking this way out of proportion. But that's not what the rumors said, and shortly after, we had people telling my parents that I was a danger to their children and elderly and that I should be jailed."

Akira sighed, exasperated and exhausted, leaning almost entirely against the wall. He smiled when Sadayo placed her hand on his arm to give him a comforting pat.

"Eventually it escalated and one morning, we found that the shop had been vandalized. An effort to scare us away."

"So much for a safe location," Sadayo remarked, agitated.

Her indignation on his behalf warmed him inside, and gave Akira the strength to continue. "You'd be surprised what people will do when they can justify it as doing what's best for themselves or their loved ones. That was when I felt that I had enough. My parents did their best and sacrificed so much to build a happy life, and I destroyed that. Sure enough, once I was gone the neighbors laid off."

Sadayo frowned at his gave his hand a squeeze to remind him that she was present, glad that he returned it.

"So how do you know that things are better now?" Sadayo asked. "Have you talked to them?"

Akira shook his head. "I recently learned it from Uncle Tetsu, a friend of my mom who sometimes visit Leblanc," he explained. "I actually haven't talked to them since I left but I asked Uncle Tetsu to let them know that I was doing fine so they're at least informed."

"Kurusu-kun, I'm sure that more than anything, they rather hear it from you. Don't you want to call them?"

"It's fine — I'm doing well over here so they don't have to worry, and they are doing fine. I think it's best we keep that distance until I can prove to the others that I'm no threat."

Sadayo wished that she could get him to talk to his parents, but she understood where he was coming from. It's hard facing those you care about when you feel like you've let them down, and considering how much Akira worries about others, it was probably devastating for him to see what happened to his parents because of his unselfish deed. She hoped to someday help him over that hurdle, just like he did for her.

But for now, there was something else Sadayo could offer. "Hey, Kurusu-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"You said that you always end up exhausted when you come back from whatever it is that you do, right?"

"Pretty much."

"Then I want you to call me whenever you need help, okay? And I don't mean just the massages, but stuff like the laundry and housecleaning. I could even help with maintenance for your Thief stuff if you need it."

"Sadayo..."

"I mean you've seen how handy I can be at the workbench and if I got some practice I'm sure that I—"

"You don't have to do this," Akira interrupted, not just worried, but also guilty.

Sadayo could feel his head resting on hers, his breath on her ear causing her shivers. "Kurusu—"

"You're still recovering, and you have your own life to worry about. You're finally out of having to make those payments and being forced to work like that, so there is no reason for me to keep having you do all those—"

Before he could finish his statement, Sadayo pinched his cheek and pulled. It wasn't enough to cause any real pain, but enough to catch his attention by discomfort.

"You're not forcing me to do anything, Kurusu-kun," Sadayo scolded in annoyance, though her cheeks were slightly colored. "I'm happy that you care about my well-being and that you don't want me to be pushed into doing something I don't want. But I'm the one who chose to come here like this, and I'm the one offering to help."

"You know that would have you aiding a criminal, right?" Akira pouted, trapped between her fingers.

' _So cute,'_ Sadayo thought. She drily replied, "I think it's a bit too late to worry about that, considering what I've gotten myself in."

' _I can't really beat her,'_ Akira can only sigh fondly as his face was released. Still… "I'm sorry for making you do this."

Sadayo watched her boyfriend pensively patting his cheek. She knew that he understood her willingness to help, but it looked like he needed a bit more of an incentive.

"As I said, I don't mind. Besides..." Sadayo pursed her lips in contemplation, before lifting herself up to purposely line her mouth to his ear.

"...that way, Becky gets to see you more often, _Master_..."

Akira turned bright red, suddenly aware of how little the space between their bodies are. "I-I'll think it over."

"That's all I ask," Sadayo sat down once more, resting her head on his tense shoulder as her hand wrapped around his arm. With her other hand, she reached for his fist, patting it in apology. She wasn't quite sure if it was okay for her to mess with him just to win him over. Was she taking advantage of his teenage hormones? Or is she overthinking things?

One thing was for sure — it definitely affected him, which admittedly helped her confidence to know that she is able to have that kind of effect on him. She held his hand tight, hoping that she could offer some semblance of comfort in their crazy circumstances.

"Oh yeah!" Akira suddenly proclaimed, remembering something.

"Huh? What's on your mind?"

"Weren't you in the middle of saying something before Alibaba interrupted us?"

"Oh!" Sadayo sat up, nervously laughing at the confused Akira. "I'm… sure that won't be necessary. After all, you've already done some amazing things so I'm sure you'll figure something out. Just let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Akira chuckled as he gave his girlfriend a soft smile, "Thanks, I'll be in your care then."

"Right…" Sadayo leaned once more against Akira, sighing in relief.

Between them, their hands intertwined.

* * *

Sadayo sat still as Dr. Takemi listened to her heart with a stethoscope. The room was quiet, the sounds of heavy rain seeped from the outside. Today marked her third planned follow-up with the doctor; while Sadayo visited for her health, she admittedly had ulterior motives for coming to the clinic.

"Well, your vitals seem to be fine at the very least, but you said you still have some problems sleeping?" Takemi asked as she pulled away and fetched her clipboard.

"Y-yeah… I'm getting used to my new schedule, so I've been able to get some rest. But some nights… I just wake up in cold sweat," Sadayo nervously fidgeted with her shirt, avoiding eye contact.

Despite having come here a few times already, Sadayo still couldn't help but feel nervous. Every time she visited, she felt like the doctor was plotting something, like she knew something secret and found it all-too-amusing. Not only that, but based of what she heard from Akira, Sadayo suspected Takemi to also be aware of his secret identity.

After seeing the state that her boyfriend would be in after his 'adventures', Sadayo couldn't help but wish that she could do more. Her mind kept visualizing those injuries that she noticed when he had taken his shirt off. He had said that he was fine, but what if he came back worse? What if he got a serious injury, like a broken arm? Could he even climb the stairs, much less get back home if he ends up unconscious? He had mentioned that he'd go the next day to see the doctor, but should he really wait that long?

When Sadayo had burned her hand from her disastrous first attempt at curry, Akira had mentioned that he had learned proper first aid from the doctor. So if Takemi did know about Akira's double life, then maybe, Sadayo could convince the doctor to teach her a few things.

"Do you have any idea for why you'd wake up in such a state?" Dr. Takemi asked as she continued to take notes.

"It's because of the nightmares," Sadayo grabbed her arm. "Sometimes, I just have these dreams, and I wake up so frightened that I can't go back to sleep because I'm afraid of having them again."

"Do you have any recollection about these dreams? I'm not a psychologist so I don't think I could do much, but I can look into referencing you to—"

"If it's alright with you, I rather not talk about it," Sadayo interrupted. She knew the doctor has good intentions, but it was bad enough that she had them. The last thing she wanted to do was bring it up to a stranger, for more reasons than one.

"That's fair, though I recommend that you at least try talking to someone, and if it ever gets worse, I implore you to contact me, okay?"

Sadayo nodded, doing her best to stay focused.

"Very well. Overall, your health has improved, so I don't think you have to come for another follow up, but because of your family history I want you to be careful of overworking yourself like you did before. So please contact me if anything happens. Otherwise, you're free to go."

"Thank you," Sadayo bowed, genuinely grateful as the doctor nodded. Takemi proceeded to swivel in her seat and work on her desk, giving Sadayo some relief from her gaze.

' _Okay, now is the time. Just go ask her if she could teach you. You want to learn so that you'll know what to do if any student becomes injured. That should be a good reason, shouldn't it?'_ Sadayo mentally pumped her fist.

"So, Kurusu came by earlier today," Dr. Takemi casually remarked. "He seemed to be doing quite well. Happy, even."

Caught off-guard, Sadayo mentally flailed. "O-oh really? W-why would I care about that?"

The scary doctor seemed amused. "Well, he is one of your students, and he was the one who asked me to treat you in the first place. Don't worry though, I didn't tell him anything. Doctor-patient confidentiality, after all."

"Right..."

Alarms bells rang through Sadayo's head when the Plague stood up with a smile that signalled trouble. Before Sadayo finished wondering if she should retreat for now, the doctor had already walked towards the door and leaned against it, locking it behind her.

"So what is it?" Takemi asked, putting her hands in her coat's pockets. "There's something that you want to ask me about. Am I correct?"

"Huh? Well, yeah but…" Sadayo glanced nervously around, searching for other exits. While she intended to ask eventually, she didn't intend to do so in this manner. She swallowed, doing her best to make the words come out. "I, uh, well, Kurusu-kun had told me that you had taught him some first aids, and I was wondering if you would teach me as well?"

Dr. Takemi looked quite surprised by her patient's request. "Any particular reason?"

"I just figured I should learn some in case any other student would get hurt or—"

"If a **certain** student ends up injured?" Dr. Takemi interrupted, halting Sadayo's argument in its tracks. "I haven't gone to high school in a while, but I'm sure that they have nurses there that are quite capable of doing their jobs. I'm sure you could even ask them to teach you if you really wanted to. So tell me, why come to me?"

Sadayo was sweating, frustrated at the huge hole in her reasoning. By the doctor's comment it was probable that she already suspected something, but how much?

"You know too, don't you?" Sadayo confronted the doctor, doing her best to put a brave face even when her nervousness was still obvious. "What Kurusu-kun's 'extracurricular activities' are?"

"And I take it that so do you?" Dr. Takemi sighed, her expression morphing into cold and serious. "Kurusu is my patient, if anyone should be responsible for his health it's me. It's my job, after all."

"But what if you're not there?" Sadayo quickly remarked, not willing to back down now that she was in too deep. "What if he's injured and you're not around?"

"But _you_ would be?" Dr. Takemi countered, seeming more curious than agitated. "After all, my clinic is just by Leblanc. From your registered information, while your home address is not that far from here, it's still much farther than I'd be. So why are you so certain that you'd be there when I couldn't?"

Sadayo opened her mouth to speak... then bit her tongue, out of excuses. She lowered her head in defeat.

Rain continued to pour outside, filling the silence. Eventually, Dr. Takemi unlocked the door behind her. "Very well. You were my last patient today, so I'll be closing shop for the evening." She moved away from the door.

"I… I see," Sadayo sighed as she picked her bag and stood up. She made it three steps out the door when Takemi spoke again.

"It's been a while since I had a night out. I'm thinking of visiting that dining bar not too far from here."

"Huh?" Sadayo quickly turned towards the doctor.

Takemi was hanging up her white coat at the back of the room, the part of the wall that was usually covered by a curtain. She retrieved a familiar leather jacket that Sadayo had seen her wear at the laundromat. "So what do you say? Care to join me?"

Sadayo stared back with confusion. "Why are you—"

"As a doctor, I can't talk about my patients to others," she turned to Sadayo with a devilish smirk "but I don't see any problem with two girls talking about a mutual friend. I have to admit that I have a few questions of my own that I'd like to ask concerning your _relation_ to him."

That last statement made Sadayo nervous. The insinuation in the Plague's voice with her imposing silhouette in her leather jacket blared the danger alarms again in Sadayo's mind. She backed away, making sure to keep the dangerous woman in her sights as her hand wandered behind her to grab her umbrella. "I-I don't think I should, I mean, I have a lot of stuff to take care of and and I still have to go to work tomorrow."

Openly amused, Takemi started walking towards her, hand bag in tow.

' _Where is that umbrella?!'_ "Nothing against you of course," Sadayo added, sweating as the clack of heels signalled her doom, "it's just a bit sudden and with the rain this bad I should probably get home as soon as possible. Sooooooo I'll just take my leave." She decided to quickly turn to search for the umbrella with her eyes. It was farther than she expected, but with a lunge it was in her hand while her other appendage was on the door handle. She was home free.

"That's a shame," Dr. Takemi said right behind her, not bothered at all by her refusal nor her mad lunge. "Very well, please be sure to greet your little **Master** for me, won't you?"

Sadayo's hand froze at the door handle just as she had opened the door. She quickly closed it, afraid to look back, before slowly turning towards the devilish doctor with open horror. "W-what did you say?"

Dr. Takemi simply giggled as she took her umbrella and walked by Sadayo, opening the door to courteously lead her out.

"Why don't we have a talk, Becky?"

* * *

 **So fun fact. When I first planned out how things would play out, I had completely forgotten how quickly the game goes over the whole "Alibaba threatens you to reveal your identity" risk. Like Futaba makes mention of it, and then a few days later she takes it all back and retreats from the whole conversation and even apologizes. Despite that though, the concept that Futaba listening in on a good chunk of their discussion and was able to hear how their relationship form was something I always found amusing.**

 **Speaking of listening in, I figure that it's worth explaining my understanding (thus the canon used for this story) of Futaba's bug. The bug is a mic, so the only thing she can do is hear whats' going on. It is also limited to the first floor since the attic seemed to be mostly untouched, so there wasn't a reason to bug it. What this means is that while she can listening on any conversation that is being had at the lower floor, the most she hear upstairs is some muffled voices.**

 **Now I'm sure you noticed that I've had both them talking together downstairs a lot more frequently than up stairs. This admittedly wasn't because of the bug or me intentionally making it so Futaba could hear more of their discussion, but an nice little accident that turned up mainly cause I really liked the concept of them chatting while Akira offers Sadayo coffee, only to realize that I made it even more obvious for Futaba to hear.**

 **Also as a little side note. The show that Sadayo was watching is based on a little story I made up in the appreciation threads a long time ago, as a way to point out how Akira and Sadayo's story is kind of like a modern fairy tale. It was also where the title of the story came from.**

 **Thanks go once again to SomebodyLost for all their help. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll see you in the next one.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Don't worry guys, this is not a drill or an April fools joke. Sorry for the long wait, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

 **These characters don't belong to me, but to Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 18**

When Dr. Takemi had called her Becky, Sadayo had felt trapped by the medical professional, making it hard to refuse her offer. She followed the doctor into the heavy rain, umbrella in hand. She thought that they'd stop at the nearby bar by the corner of the clinic, but Dr. Takemi continued walking towards Leblanc.

Sadayo began to fear that the doctor's intention was to reveal things to Sakura-san or perhaps she was checking to see if Akira was there and drag him along. But as they neared the coffee shop, Dr. Takemi simply paused and tilted her head towards the cafe, before continuing her walk past it. Surprised, but relieved, Sadayo followed. Nervous and curious, she peeked inside, wondering if Akira was in, but instead it was only Sakura-san handing what seem to be some files to a woman. His obvious scowl of agitation and defensiveness made Sadayo worry, especially since it was directed to the woman.

The woman coolly examined the folders, unperturbed. Sadayo felt some respect for the woman's unflappable attitude against Sakura-san's glare. Though... Sadayo couldn't help but feel like she'd seen her before…

' _Not the time to think of that.'_ She hurried before the doctor rounded the corner. Then, a few more steps, before they arrived to a cozy-looking restaurant. Tucked farther from the train station, Sadayo had no reason to venture deeper nor explore Yongen-Jaya before, especially in her maid outfit, so this was an unexpected discovery. It had its own bar counter with an assortment of drinks, but along it were plenty of tables and even private booths.

"Ah, Dr. Takemi! Come to take some shelter from the rain?" The man behind the counter grinned happily as the doctor entered.

"Something like that," Dr. Takemi smiled and turned towards the hesitating Sadayo.

Getting the hint, Sadayo entered the establishment herself and closed the door behind her.

Dr. Takemi turned back towards the patient chef with a pleased tone. "I hate to ask this of you again, but is it okay if we have somewhere to talk by ourselves?"

"First that Kurusu kid, and now this lady. Wouldn't your clinic work just fine for privacy?" The man raised his brow in curiosity, but still retaining his cheerfulness.

Sadayo twitched slightly. Part of her worried about what the doctor had wanted to talk to Akira about in private, but...

She was also jealous that they could such a thing without having to hide.

Dr. Takemi shook her head at the man's inquiry. "It's just a friendly chat between friends, and I would rather not drink while at the job."

The man began to laugh. "You have a point there." He then turned to Sadayo thoughtfully. "Have we met before? I feel like I've seen you before."

Sadayo began to fidget, inwardly praying that he wouldn't connect her to Becky if he had seen her in her maid outfit. "Oh, uh—"

"She's a recent patient of mine," Dr. Takemi interjected, amused. "She's been coming to my clinic for the last few weeks so it is possible that you saw her on your way from the groceries."

"I see. I do go there daily to pick up some ingredients." After the man nodded in agreement he turned to Sadayo and bowed. "Welcome to my humble restaurant. Why don't you take a seat with the good doctor? Either one of you can come over once you've decided what you want." He pointed to the far off table by the corner that was a bit enclosed from the other booths.

"Thanks again for doing this for me. I can imagine how troublesome this may be for you," Dr. Takemi commented, though her smirk never dropped.

The man gave a hearty laugh. "It's not a problem; as you can see, I don't have any customers at the moment. Besides, I still owe you for taking care of me. I truly thank you."

"I really didn't do much but do my job," Dr. Takemi refuted the praise, but Sadayo noticed that her smile softened. Then the doctor's expression firmed again once she turned back to Sadayo. "Well then, shall we take a seat?"

On full alert, Sadayo nodded and followed Dr. Takemi to the table, placing her bag on her lap when she took a seat. Grasping the straps with white knuckles, Sadayo tried for a nonchalant tone, "He seems to be quite friendly with you."

"I helped him with some debilitating problems. Can't go into details about it though." Dr. Takemi shrewdly gazed over the table, causing Sadayo to swallow the lump in her throat. "Besides, he's not the one I'm interested in talking about."

"Ye-yeah..." Sadayo confirmed, eyes averted from the scary doctor. "Is it alright if I get something to drink? I'm actually feeling a bit thirsty."

"Sure, anything in particular you want?"

"Water is fine?" Sadayo replied with a nervous smile.

"If you say so," the doctor shrugged and got up to talk to the owner.

As soon as Dr. Takemi left the table, Sadayo exasperatedly exhaled, feeling like she could finally breathe after what felt like forever. A part of her was screaming for a beer to help unwind her tightly-knit nerves, but she was too afraid of lowering any kind of inhibition around the Plague. Sadayo knew that Akira trusted the doctor considering that he specifically asked Dr. Takemi to take care of her, and from her experience, Dr. Takemi was nothing but dedicated to her patients' health. But at this moment, Sadayo was so terrified at what "The Plague" might be planning.

Sadayo took her phone out. She wanted to message Akira and ask him what to do, for him to come over. But as she took out the messaging app she was reminded of how he did his best to deal with the Alibaba incident on his own, afraid of how she'd react if she found out.

' _What am I thinking? I'm the adult here. If he can handle that all on his own then I should be able to as well. I can't just keep relying on him whenever I get in trouble. I need to stand on my own.'_

Sadayo nodded, determined… which lasted for three seconds. She put her elbow on the table and slumped on her palm.

' _But still... couples should try to solve their problems together, shouldn't they? This is something that affects both of us; shouldn't I let him know of what is going on? After all, if he's in trouble, I'd want him to tell me about it as well. But then he already has so much on his shoulders.'_

She raised her fingers for every item her boyfriend needed to take care of, from Medjed to his possible issue with Sakura-san; it worryingly exceeded the workload of a normal student. ' _I know there's probably more he hasn't told me yet. And he even makes time for me!'_ She sighed. ' _It's not fair for me to drop this on him out of the blue when he's dealing with so much already.'_

Sadayo gripped her phone. As much as she wished he was there with her, but—

"Is anything the matter?"

In a panic, Sadayo scrambled to put away her phone as Dr. Takemi approached with a glass of water and what seemed to be a cocktail. She looked expectant and amused as she placed their drinks on the table, sitting languidly.

"N-no, nothing wrong, just checking for the time. Hard to tell with the rain, after all" Sadayo did her best to smile as she tried to sneak her phone back to her bag. Her chance slipped through her fingers, so she was left with no choice but to do this alone.

Dr. Takemi took a sip from her drink. Leaning on her forearms, she stared down Sadayo with a curious smirk. "No need to be afraid. I don't bite. Much."

Sadayo just let out a nervous laugh, hoping that it was just a joke.

"Why don't I make this easier on us and make things clear? I'm sure you have a number of questions about me, and I have a few about you. So why don't we make an exchange? I'll answer any question that you might have, and I might even consider teaching you some first-aids."

Her eyes then narrowed into sharp knives that pierced into Sadayo's heart, causing the teacher to freeze. "But in return, I want you to answer all my questions, _truthfully_. Nothing that we'll discuss here goes out to the public, and I'm certain that you want to keep it that way. Sound fair?"

Sadayo bit her lip for a moment before steeling herself to return the doctor's stare. "Why are you doing this?"

"Let's just say that I have a personal interest in the well-being of my patients."

"So this really is about Kurusu-kun," Sadayo remarked, hoping that singling him out would have a similar effect on Dr. Takemi as it did to her.

Yet the doctor simply chuckled in amusement. "Yes, I suppose there is no need to be vague here." She leaned forward as she rested her chin over her forearms, her confident smile still unchanged. "He's someone very special to me, and I want to make sure that he is doing well."

' _Special?'_ Sadayo felt her eye twitch once more. "Well, with all the things he gets into, I suppose that he could be considered a special patient."

"That's true, but he's more than a patient to me." Dr. Takemi's eyes wandered to the side, lost in thought.

The doctor's surprisingly gentler expression and tone made Sadayo feel a bit of discomfort. She took a sip of her water to distract herself.

"After all, he's my little guinea pig."

Sadayo immediately began choking from her drink. "G-guinea pig?!"

"Is there a problem?"

"Is there a problem?!" Sadayo protested between coughs. "Isn't it a bit unprofessional to call one of your patients like that?!"

"Perhaps..." Takemi sipped her cocktail, unfazed. In fact, she seemed more amused than anything. "But I'm sure that a teacher referring to one of her students as **Master** is much more unprofessional."

"I-I, uh, I mean..." Sadayo's frustration fizzled as she reeled back. She couldn't deny the counterpoint — especially when her issue was more egregious. Slinking into her seat, her head hung down as she tried to hide behind her transparent glass.

At that moment, she can _feel_ the Plague's laser stare like a spider eyeing down an insect nearing its web, waiting for the chance to strike. "Speaking of which, I think it's my turn to ask a few questions. That maid that I ran into at the laundromat a while ago — that was you, right?"

Sadayo hunched lower, feeling very small. Unable to look at the confident woman opposite her, she barely managed a weak, "Yes."

Dr. Takemi's smile was audible. "And that 'Master' you had referred to back then — it's Kurusu, yes?"

Sadayo nodded once more. "Bu-but it's not what you think." She finally forced herself to face the doctor at the other end of the table. "I mean, I know it looks a bit suspicious — well, actually it looks very suspicious," she sheepishly amended, "but… um..."

What can she say to avert the inevitable? Resigned, Sadayo sighed, "It's a long story, but trust me when I say that there was a reason for it and it wasn't Kurusu-kun's fault."

The doctor chuckled, easily accepting her flustered defense. "I can imagine. After all, he has a habit of—"

"—Meddling too much into other people's problems?" Sadayo couldn't help but finish.

In that moment, both looked at each other and giggled, amused at their shared views toward their young benefactor.

"I'm guessing he was the same with you?" Sadayo felt a weight off her shoulders.

"Very much so," Dr. Takemi smiled as she playfully spun her drink in slow circles. "He's very stubborn when it comes to helping others, but at the time I just didn't understand why he would stick around and help a quack doctor like myself."

"Quack doctor?" Sadayo frowned as she took another sip of water.

"I had been blacklisted by the medical field for a long time. We were in the process of developing a new drug for an incurable illness called 'Crawford-Ende's disease'. More specifically, our patient was a little girl named Miwa-chan. Things were progressing smoothly and we were actually making great strides; we had even reached the final stage of production. But..."

Sadayo nearly flinched as Takemi's expression soured. The other woman didn't seem to notice, lost in thought as her biting words revealed her displeasure.

"In his desire to become rich and famous for presenting the new drug, Oyamada, who was my superior at the time, made a careless mistake and rushed completion so he could use it as soon as possible. This caused poor Miwa-chan to have a reaction and lapse into critical condition. And of course, being the coward that he is, he laid the blame solely on me."

Takemi took a drink, tempering the growing fire Sadayo could see threatening to erupt.

"Because of his negligence and greed the development of the drug had to be delayed. Not only that, but as a doctor myself I can't forgive his reckless treatment of his patient. Miwa-chan had to unnecessarily suffer."

Just as rapid as that fire appeared, it quickly vanished. Takemi listlessly studied her drink, shoulders slumped — all too familiar to Sadayo.

"But at the time I couldn't voice my protest. It all happened so fast. One day I was working on the development team, the next I was ostracized by my peers and made the scapegoat of his failure. This caused me to be resented by Miwa-chan and her family… That last one in particular hit me the most. No matter what I said, how they felt about me never changed."

Takemi swallowed the last of her drink, "At that point all that mattered to me was perfecting the drug, to make right by them. So I isolated myself from the world around me and focused solely on perfecting the drug. I gave up treating patients and spent my days making all sorts of drugs in the hopes of finding a solution. It didn't take long for rumors to start spreading after that."

"You mean how they called you 'The Plague?'" Sadayo inquired, remembering the frightened expression the other doctor had when it was mentioned. "If I remember correctly, they are still calling you that even now. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Does it bother you?" Takemi returned.

Not quite sure what she was insinuating, Sadayo looked away in embarrassment, not willing to dignify the question with any sort of answer.

Takemi didn't mind her silence and continued, "In all honesty, the name itself never bothered me. I actually found it amusing, even now. All I really cared about was perfecting my formula, so I figured having such a reputation will scare away others from bothering me. I thought being alone with no distractions would help me focus and that I would have it done in no time. But I didn't have the funding, the supplies, the manpower, and most importantly, a method of testing. Soon enough, I found myself stuck, unable to move forward and I was becoming desperate… and that was when a certain student arrived at my doorstep."

Dr. Takemi's demeanor changed at that last line. Her softer and gentler smile with the noticeable color on her cheeks caused a painful vice to grip down in Sadayo's chest.

"You're talking about Kurusu-kun?" Sadayo asked without much thought.

She wasn't sure why she even asked. Of course it would be him; who else would they be talking about this whole time? But after seeing the way Dr. Takemi changed, a part of her hoped that it wasn't the case.

"Yes," Dr. Takemi confirmed, much to Sadayo's dismay. "He just came one day to my clinic and feigned being sick because of entrance exams so he can get some painkillers."

"Seriously Kurusu-kun? What were you thinking?" Sadayo shook her head in disbelief.

Dr. Takemi shrugged. "I think we both know why he did that. Isn't that the reason why you're asking me to teach you first-aid?"

"You have a point there," Sadayo sighed, remembering the injuries she had last seen on him.

"He wasn't the first to come to my clinic believing the rumors about me and thinking that they can get a free pass. So I did what I always did — I handed him a vial full of a trial version of the drug. Usually that scares them off, but he just looked at me with a smirk and drank the whole thing," Dr. Takemi huffed in disbelief and amusement, "only to pass out moments later."

"You drugged him?!" Sadayo slammed her hands against the table. "What if something had happened to him?! What if he had a really bad reaction?!"

"I only gave him the vial, but it was his own moronic decision to drink that without thinking!" Dr. Takemi spoke up in defense. Her eyes glared back angrily, but much to Sadayo's surprise, they held more regret than anything.

Dr. Takemi backed down, sighing as she looked at her empty glass. "But what I did afterwards wasn't any better. After treating him, I quickly realized that if he was really desperate for the medicine, then I could get him to be my test subject."

"Test subject?!" Sadayo parroted angrily while doing her best to prevent another outburst.

"Despite what you're thinking right now, I took every safety precaution, though admittedly, I partially did that because I needed him healthy enough so that my data would be more accurate. In return, I sold him my medication, which allowed me to gain some funds for my continued research. In short, I used him."

"And let me guess, he agreed to it," Sadayo pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose, not sure if she should be angrier at Dr. Takemi for putting Akira through what she figured were countless tests or her boyfriend for agreeing to such ridiculousness.

Still, Sadayo couldn't deny that the way she treated Akira at the beginning wasn't any better either. And...

' _That's all she meant by 'guinea pig', right?'_

"He agreed to all of this when he was still in recovery from that first test, but he didn't protest when I told him about it afterwards," Dr. Takemi continued. "And from then on, he'd show up to my clinic every so often, sometimes to simply buy a large number of medical supplies and sometimes to test out my newest concoction. I didn't pay him much mind nor cared about why he constantly needed so much medication — all I cared is that I could finally progress with my research. But then… things started to change."

Dr. Takemi placed a finger thoughtfully on her chin. "It was probably because the research was making good progress, but the side effects weren't as severe as I thought they would be, though a part of me wondered if his body was becoming resistant. I've always wanted to some stress test to see if—"

The sudden silence made Sadayo raise a brow and aware of the rhythmic taps on the table. She looked down and realized that it was her own finger expressing her agitation. Sadayo crossed her arms to stop her tapping and to prevent herself from lunging across the table.

Reluctance crossed Dr. Takemi's face so quickly that Sadayo wasn't sure that it happened, but the doctor soon continued, "Anyway, soon enough he was waking up sooner than anticipated, but I didn't want him leaving immediately in case any delayed reaction occurred. So he ended staying in the clinic to wait. During those times he started asking me questions. About treatments, patient procedures and eventually, about my tests and results. I was honestly surprised by his genuine interest but sure enough, he started assisting me during his visits and sort of became my temporary assistant. Turns out that at one time, he had considered becoming a doctor himself."

"Wait, really?!" Sadayo's arms slackened, her face wide-eyed with shock.

"Well sort of? He didn't seem all that certain. He just told me it was one of the options he was looking at, so helping him gave him some experience for later."

' _He never mentioned any of that to me...'_ Sadayo's head lowered, sad that Akira had never brought this up with her. It felt disheartening, both as his girlfriend and his teacher, that he'd never talked to her about his plans for the future. But then again, she had never asked either.

"But as time went on, I started to notice his injuries. At first, I didn't pay much mind to them since they shouldn't affect my data gathering, but the more I saw them the more it felt that something was off. Many looked like serious wounds, but they'd appear only for days when it should take months for a normal recovery. Considering you're asking about first-aid, I'm guessing that you've seen them too."

"Yeah..." Sadayo nodded, still downtrodden.

"It was puzzling, so I offered to properly treat him whenever he got more injures. He laughed, asking me if I was starting to worry about my guinea pig dying too early."

Dr. Takemi's finger toyed with her empty glass. "But… he believed and trusted me when I gave him every reason not to, so he came to me when new injuries showed up. He also pushed me into taking patients again and go back to helping people. Supported me when my old supervisor began to pressure my already limited suppliers. And when it felt like I had no one on my side, he never gave up on me, even in my lowest moment. When all hope felt lost he brought it back to me and gave everything he could to make sure I could finish the drug on time."

Dr. Takemi lifted her head with a smile that, a while ago, would've given Sadayo a chill; now, it was familiar. "I owe a lot to Kurusu. It's because of him that I was able to save Miwa-chan, but he also helped me get re-accepted into the medical field and made me remember why I wanted to be a doctor in the first place. He's someone very important to me, so when he told me about you, I became very curious."

"W-what do you mean?"

"During one of our talks, he specifically asked me about symptoms that could lead to _karoshi_ , particularly those related to lack of eating or sleeping. At first I was worried that he was talking about himself, but when I saw your results at the hospital I realized that he was actually asking about you."

Sadayo couldn't help but blush, embarrassed and happy at the distance Akira had gone for her. She was truly grateful to have met him, and even more grateful that he shared her feelings for him. But even if he hadn't, her determination to protect him wouldn't change.

"So…" Dr. Takemi asked after a long moment, "you're his teacher, but he hires you as his maid?"

"Like I said, it's a long story..." Sadayo scratched her lingering red cheeks. She could now understand where Dr. Takemi was coming from with her persistence towards Akira, but it didn't make things easier.

"I have some time."

Sadayo stared at her empty glass as her throat dried. Part of her was scared of bringing up what she had done in the past, considering how protective Dr. Takemi was of Akira. But after learning her story, doing anything less didn't feel right.

"Before that, can we get a drink? I'm probably going to need it."

* * *

"Yay! Kurusu-san look!" Chihaya pointed to her cards with too much uncharacteristic cheer.. "Seems that those connected to ya are forming a bond! Temperance and Death! This is all so exciting!"

"Huh? What's this all about Akira? Don't tell me you're looking for a love reading?!" Ohya playfully gasped. By contrast, she was characteristically tipsy as she rested her elbow on Akira's head, using him as support to keep herself from falling on the table, drink on hand.

"Nothing like that, just a regular reading," Akira breathed out an exasperated sigh, already worn out by the sudden turn of events.

To give the group some time to recover before the big heist, Akira had decided to catch up with some of his confidants. First was Takemi to make doubly sure that his right side was healing well. He was thankful that Takemi was always willing to help out, but the look she gave him when he asked about Sadayo's condition had him a bit worried. Making a mental note to talk to Sadayo about it later, he then headed towards Untouchable to sell some miscellaneous goods. Much to his frustration, Iwai had also found out about his identity.

Counting Tora, that made four people outside of the group that had pieced together about him being a Phantom Thief. Akira himself wasn't sure if he should be: a) glad that the succeeding sequences of Sadayo, Iwai and Tora finding out had caused the group to ease their suspicions on Sadayo; b) disheartened by the fact that they're no longer surprised that this happened, or: c) expectant for this pattern to continue for his other confidants.

After all, by the time he had told the group about Iwai, everyone but Ryuji just looked at him with exasperated disappointment.

When evening started, so did the rain. It was pouring cats and dogs outside and Akira was honestly tempted to just sit it out and help Sojiro out at Leblanc, but he was soon messaged by Chihaya of all people. She had been trying to get in touch with him for days but he had been busy with a lot of other stuff. It had been a long time since the group took care of the Chairman of that manipulative organization that Chihaya had gotten herself wrapped up in, so he figured that what she wanted to tell him was related to that. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to pay her a visit.

The problems had started because it was pouring outside, so their usual meeting spot was a no-go. Akira grimaced at the only familiar place that came to mind in Shinjuku, but had gone ahead and messaged her to meet him in Crossroads, hoping that Ohya would be too busy with work to not be there.

Of course, with someone out there to get him, such a blessing was not granted as he arrived to see both ladies sharing drinks as they talked about him.

"So you really believe all this junk?" Ohya gestured to the cards at the table with her drink.

"Hey, what are you callin' junk!? If ya're not careful fate'll punish you for yer transgression!" Chihaya pointed angrily at Ohya threateningly… or tried to. Her finger dangled at the nonplussed Akira.

"Easy there Mifune-san, no need to get so riled up. Ohya's just someone who rather have proof of something first," Akira raised his hand to calm the excitable fortune teller and gently move her finger away from his crossed eyes. Then he pushed Ohya off his head, careful not to let her faceplant, addressing her in turn, "And for your information, I do trust Mifune-san with her reading. She actually ended up predicting that I'd be in trouble with Medjed." Akira awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Though I didn't expect it to be at a national scale.

"If you say so," Ohya shrugged before tipping her drink. She turned around and waved her empty glass. "Lala-chan! Get us another round of drinks!"

"I'll pour you another, but I rather you not drag the poor girl and the kid down to your level," Lala-chan scolded Ohya with her signature glare.

"It's fine, I can handle it!" Chihaya boasted confidently.

"I'm sure you can," Akira smiled nervously before turning to Lala-chan and signaling her to just give water, something he'd learned from working at her bar for a while now. "Anyway, may I ask why exactly are you looking into my bonds?"

"'Coz yer darn future continues to worry me Kurusu-san!" Chihaya shook her fist, her native dialect unhindered by alcohol. "I thought that mah future was already determined, but then outta nowhere the chairman just up an' turned himself in! So not only mah fate, but the fate of everyone I had talked to seemed to change for the better. Nevah did I expect to see such a large shift happen…"

"Did someone say something about someone turning themselves in?"

Both Akira and Chihaya turned towards a cheshire-smiling Ohya, who was peeking up from her resting spot on the table. Her drunkenness seemed to evaporate as her journalistic ears perked at the potential scoop.

"Ohya, no," Akira tried.

"Ohya yes," Ohya effortlessly derailed before turning to question Chihaya. "Tell me, did this person confessed everything to the police? Did he seem like a changed man?"

"He was!" Chihaya nodded enthusiastically. "He confessed everything he did, admitted his wrong doings, and even took full responsibility!"

"I knew it! So the Phantom Thieves strike again..." Ohya pondered to herself, serious and sober.

"Phantom Thieves? Hmmm..." Chihaya thoughtfully repeated as she looked at her cards. "The cards did tell me that I would receive the assistance of the Trickster. Could it really have been them? But how did they know?"

"If it's okay I would like you to tell me about this organization you're talking about. I could really use it for my next article."

"I think we should postpone that for when she's a lot more aware," Akira cut in, not letting his nervousness show, not wanting to continue his ' _I know you're a Phantom Thief'_ streak so soon after the last one. "Anyway, what were you saying before she interrupted, Mifune-san?"

Chihaya snapped from the intense staring contest with her cards. "Huh? Right! Despite that drastic shift, yah future remains the same, continuing on the same path no matter what. But I haven't given up yet. I promise that I will find a way to change yah darn fate for the better. As a fortune teller that's decided to help change others' fates, I know I can do it!"

Akira could help but chuckle at Chihaya's drunken enthusiasm. "Very well, I leave my fate in your hands; after all, you haven't let me down yet." He then looked down at the cards once more, intrigued and slightly worried of Chihaya's accuracy. "Still, you seem very intent on focusing on Temperance."

"Out of all the bonds, it seems that the Temperance in particular has a very strong bond with you," Chihaya tapped the card which portrayed a woman with angel wings mixing water between two cups. "That's good, because even if I don't know why, something tells me that these bonds are the key to your change of fate. The gathering of so many arcana, and not only that but how they intertwine..." she trailed off before abruptly pointing to a perplexed Ohya. "Yer his Devil!"

"Devil?!" Ohya blinked.

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious," Akira smirked.

"And I'm his Fortune! And Lala-chan is his..." Chihaya squinted, obvious that she didn't have an answer but got caught up in the moment, "...his employer!"

Akira turned to the side, doing his best to muffle his laugh.

"And the Magician is that cat Kurusu-san... has? Wait, how is he supposed to help...?" Chihaya drifted off, realizing the ridiculousness of such claims, even for her.

Lala-chan let out a sigh while shaking her head. "And this is why I'm cutting her off."

Ohya giggled. "You're no fun as always, Lala-chan. By the way," she asked Akira, "where's your constant kitty?"

"Raincheck," Akira shrugged.

"Raincheck? What — ah! Raincheck!" Chihaya bumped the table with a triumphant fist. "Because of the rain… I get it… heehee…"

Akira looked at the ceiling, sighing.

Chihaya didn't seem bothered by his exasperation and merrily continued, "Um, where was I? Kurusu-san? Ah yeah, just as I was sayin', the Temperance is yah strongest bond, and now this person is branchin' out to connect to yer other arcana. It's all berry fascinatin'!" Then she deflated before turning to Akira with puppy eyes. "But I can't get a good readin' since I don't know this individual. Sooooo..."

"Nope, sorry, I know you mean well but I have my reasons," Akira refused without a second thought.

"Phooey, now why'd yah have to be like that?" Chihaya pouted.

Akira chuckled at Chihaya's complaint while he tilted his head to observe the Temperance card. ' _Sadayo and Takemi… I hope she's doing okay. I'm sure Takemi will take care of her but she can be quite scary if you're not used to her.'_ "So, my other bonds aside, did your reading tell you anything else?"

"Most it'all is that Medjed hoopla. If yah wish to overcome this trial, you must seek the aid of the Hermit."

Akira eyed the card that portrayed an old man holding up a lantern. The weird goofy eyes and stuck-out tongue made it one of the odder illustrations from Chihaya's deck of cards. ' _Hermit… If I'm right, I'm going to guess that that's our little shut-in. It really does seem to hinge on us helping Futaba.'_

"There is one more thing though," Chihaya interrupted his thoughts, staring seriously at him. "There is a warning of flowers, bringing with them old wounds and regrets."

"Flowers?" Akira echoed in thought. "Well Hanasaki-san did warn me about that thug going around beating up people. Guess I should be careful about that." _'Sadayo, too, should be careful. Especially since she tends to walk alone back to her place.'_

The concern grew in his mind as he nodded to himself. ' _I should probably take care of that as soon as we go to Mementos again… just to be safe_.'

"Thanks, I owe you one." Akira grabbed his bag and stood up. He can trust Lala-chan to take care of Chihaya and Ohya. Speaking of which… "By the way Ohya-san, you wouldn't happen to have any info on the members of Medjed, would you?"

Ohya shook her head. "Sadly no, I don't really deal with a lot of cyber crime so this is out of my alley. Why though? First asking about Kaneshiro and now Medjed?"

"You know me, just doing my part as a Phantom Thief fan," Akira shrugged.

"Fan? That don't sound right," Chihaya commented from her seat. "No, I got that vibe from that Mishima friend of yers. But not fer yah."

"We all just have different ways of showing it. Anyway I need to start heading back home now; the rain isn't going to make the trip any easier so I should get a head start."

"Wait, before you go!"

Akira stopped and turned towards Chihaya.

"There was actually something else I wanted to talk to you about, and umm…" Chihaya fidgeted for a bit, letting out drunken giggles as her face became redder than ever. "This is so embarrassing..."

Akira tilted his head, wondering what new ridiculousness from the previous round of drinks she'd say.

Chihaya swayed, still giggling before finally gathering her courage to ask, "U-um, Kurusu-san… are you… interested in an older woman…?"

The question caught the rest of the bar by surprise as they all turned to him for his answer. But he simply gave a mischievous smirk as he exited.

"Hell yeah I am."

* * *

"I see…" were the only words that came from Dr. Takemi as she looked down on her second glass.

Sadayo was no different as she focused on her half-empty glass of beer. It took a lot out of her and a few hard swigs to bring up what she had gone through. She hated to be reminded of all those years she lost, and the fact that she hadn't even told her mother yet divulged it to a stranger didn't help her conscience. But to gain Dr. Takemi's help, she felt that she needed to come clean.

For Akira's sake.

"For years I hated myself for what had happened to Takase-kun. So I made weekly payments because my guilt was too strong. It got to the point that I had become numb to it all. Eventually, I started to only cared about making money and keeping my horrible shame a secret. I stopped caring about my students and only saw them as nuisances. But that was nothing compared to how I treated him..."

Sadayo took another big gulp of her drink. Both to stall and to dampen the feelings of guilt.

"I looked at him with disdain from the moment he entered the school, I wished that he'd never showed up to class. And when he found out about my maid job, I tried blackmailing him. Even when he offered to help by requesting me, I just used him like you did as well..." Sadayo quickly shook her head. "No, at least you were honest with him from the start. Instead, I lied and manipulated him. But… despite all of that, despite constantly trying to push him away he—"

"—Never gave up on you," Dr. Takemi finished, more jovial than before.

"Yeah," Sadayo nodded mid-laugh. "He never hesitated to help me. He was always there when I needed someone, and even accepted me despite how much I hated myself. He helped me get my life back together and gave meaning to it. I mean, the reason that I'm even here talking to you now is because of him. He reopened my world from that dark place that I had been in for so long." Sadayo sighed, feeling better now, albeit shy. "I know he's my student, but to me he's someone much more than that."

"There's something going on between you two, isn't there?" Takemi brought up, finally cutting to the chase. "Are you two lovers…?"

Sadayo looked back at the doctor; while the doctor's ringed eyes were softer in understanding than before, they still scrutinized her. Evaluating. Luckily for Sadayo, she was able to keep herself a bit more composed.

"And what would you do if that was true?" Sadayo did her best to seem calm as she gripped her glass.

"Honestly, I don't really care what you do with your own life. It's none of my business after all." Dr. Takemi shrugged.

Part of Sadayo wanted to take what she had said at face value and relax a bit, but something told her that there was more to it. "But… the problem is that it's not just me, right?"

Dr. Takemi smirked, probably happy to see she had caught on. "You're right, it's not just you, but Kurusu as well. You know he's on thin ice already — I'm sure any sort of controversy or scandal will be enough to get him taken away. And he's a wanted criminal, having a taboo relationship puts him in a very dangerous situation, and it could only end in pain."

"I know that," Sadayo sighed at her drink. "Trust me, I thought long and hard about it, and I still do now. He was the one that confessed to me and it just took me completely by surprise."

"Even if he confessed to you, you had the choice of rejecting him, and yet you chose to be with him?" Dr. Takemi arced a fine brow, but Sadayo can tell that she was also genuinely curious. "Why? Doing so only jeopardizes both your career and his future. Isn't that too risky? Especially after everything he did for you?"

Sadayo stared down the doctor. The words coming out of her before she realized what she was saying. "If he had confessed to you, and you had the chance to be with him, wouldn't you had considered it worth the risk?"

For a second, Dr. Takemi was shocked, but quickly broke into laughter, the first Sadayo has seen her do since they first met. It was short-lived as she sighed and wiped off a small tear. "Who knows…"

After a moment, Dr. Takemi stood up as she grabbed her bag. "I think we should probably call it a night. We both have work tomorrow. I'll take care of the payment."

Sadayo was perplexed by the sudden end to the conversation but she nodded and grabbed her bag. "Um… Dr. Takemi, about me and—"

"Just Takemi," the doctor smirked as she grabbed her umbrella. "I think it's appropriate after tonight. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me. It's not like I haven't done my fair share of questionable actions. Besides, I'm sure that if I tried to bring this up Kurusu would try to take all the blame."

"That he would," Sadayo sighed, knowing full well how her boyfriend could be at times. "And I guess you can call me Kawakami." They both said their goodbyes to the owner and walked out of the bar and opened their umbrellas, travelling back to familiar sights.

"Oh, speak of the devil," Takemi suddenly said, causing Sadayo to turn to the side. They were already by Leblanc and under its awning was the topic of their conversation, shaking his umbrella dry..

Hearing Takemi, Akira stopped, looking at them curiously. "Ms. Kawakami? Dr. Takemi? Didn't expect to see you both together."

Takemi simply chuckled as she turned to Sadayo. "Just come by the clinic if you ever wish to talk." She proceeded to walk by Akira. "I'll see you later, my guinea pig."

Sadayo scowled as Akira turned to her with a nervous smile. ' _Nope, I still don't like her calling him that.'_

"About that… I can explain..." Akira scratched his head as Sadayo walked towards him.

"It's fine," Sadayo grumpily crossed her arms.

"You don't sound fine. You're not drunk again are you?"

"I only had less than one glass. I'm not a lightweight," Sadayo frowned. "I'm gonna go home now."

A moment of fear hit Akira when he remembered Chihaya's warning. "Wait, let me walk you home."

"Where is this coming from?" Sadayo raised her brow at the sudden request.

"Just some bad rumors that has me worried. I rather you not walk alone at night if possible."

"My hero..." Sadayo replied with a smirk. Her tone was mostly sarcastic, though she did appreciate his concern. "What about you though? Won't you end up walking home on your own on the way back?"

"Leave that to me!"

A black cat jumped from Leblanc roof and landed on Akira's shoulder. Her boyfriend grunted, probably used to this treatment, though Sadayo didn't anticipate Mona to start shaking off the water while they were in range..

"Hey, be careful Mona!" Sadayo retreated slightly.

"Sorry about that. Anyway, I overheard your conversation and don't worry, I'll make sure he makes it home safe afterwards.

"He says he'll make sure I'm fine." Akira commented.

"I guess that works," Sadayo sighed, still concerned, but willing to play along. "But please let me know if anything happens?" .

"Plus someone has to chaperon you two love birds," Mona snickered.

"He also said that he's chaperoning us," Akira rolled his eyes.

"I'm pretty sure I'm old enough to not need a chaperon," Sadayo scowled at the weird noise that Mona made. "Anyway, we should start heading out."

They began walking in the rain. The streets were luckily mostly empty, as few felt like going out in this weather. The sparsity continued to the train stations, from Yongen-Jaya and up to Sadayo's neighborhood. An idea took root in Akira, and after making sure of the empty streets, he enacted his plan. With an impish grin, he kept his umbrella close and instead huddled under Sadayo's.

"Clumsy me, looks like I forgot my umbrella. Mind if I share yours?" Akira playfully said at his girlfriend's perplexity.

"Really smooth there, Joker." Mona sarcastically commented.

"Fine, but pull something and it's a cold shower for you Kurusu," Sadayo pouted, turning away from Akira.

With this close, Akira finally got a good feel of his girlfriend's tense frame. He thought that she'd lighten up with some jokes but Sadayo actually was a bit more on edge than normal. Even her calling him without his honorific felt distant. He had also planned to try and sneakily hold her hand, but that seemed like a bad idea now.

"So…" Akira said instead, keeping his hands in his pockets, "did something happen between you and Takemi?"

"Mostly talked about you." Sadayo's grip was white-knuckled on her umbrella handle.

"Nothing bad I hope?"

"Just how much you love to meddle in other people's affairs, and that you let too many people take advantage of your good nature."

"That's kinda harsh," Akira laughed awkwardly at his, by this point, obviously annoyed girlfriend.

"Also..." Sadayo hesitated, just in time for the stoplight. Taking in a deep breath, she admitted, "She _knows_."

"Oh," Akira simply commented, idly watching a few cars driving past. A few seconds after, the red light turned on. " _Oh…_ "

"Seriously…?" Mona said in disbelief from Akira's bag.

"I'm sorry," Sadayo said with genuine contrition. "This one might have been more on my end."

"No, Takemi is scary sharp about things. It's no surprise she caught on..." Akira sighed, frustrated once more that someone else found out about them so soon. He nudged his head to the road and they crossed the wet concrete. Once they reached the curb, he turned to Sadayo with worry. Considering her tense attitude... "Did she say anything harsh to you? She can be a bit direct at times and—"

"No, nothing like that," Sadayo shook her head. "She said that she'll keep it a secret so we should hopefully be fine on that front."

"If she said she will, then I'm sure she meant it. Still, I'll be sure to talk to her about it as well. Just to make sure."

"You don't have to do that. I handled it just fine," Sadayo scowled with more frustration than intended.

"...Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like you couldn't," Akira's shoulders slumped as he looked away.

At his depressed tone, Sadayo berated herself. ' _What is wrong with you? Why are you snapping at him like that? He was just worried...'_

Despite how well things had turned out for her, she couldn't help but feel frustrated. She was upset at her irresponsible answer that she gave Takemi, but more than that, she was bothered by Takemi's response.

Takemi had gone through her own hardships and worked hard to help others but ended up becoming lost. She's protective of Akira and Akira trusts her. In a lot of ways, Sadayo can relate to her and she felt a sort of kinship in their shared experiences and feelings toward Akira.

But...

She was attractive, confident, assertive; in a way, her personality is similar to Akira. Sadayo was already unsure of why he would show interest in someone like her when he spends his time with Niijima-san and Takamaki-chan. She figured that maybe, he was just into older women, but if he was already close to someone like Takemi…

' _Why would he choose someone like me…?'_

She turned to face Akira, who by this point was simply focused on looking ahead. He seemed to be keeping as much distance as he could from her without standing outside the umbrella. She saw him close his eyes on occasion, concentrating, similar to when they had met at school to talk.

Her eyes lowered to his arm. She hated how she was acting, frustrated at herself and how easily she let herself be riled up at the very thought of someone else having feelings for him.

She raised her hand, but hesitated to grab hold, stopped by her fear of someone seeing her wrap her arms around him. She wondered if Takemi would have this fear, if she would also hesitate. Or maybe, she wouldn't care at all and just hold him close to her without hesitation.

But Sadayo wasn't Takemi and she couldn't afford to do those kinds of things with him. The most she could do was grab the end of his sleeve.

They paused in the middle of the empty street, Sadayo slightly pulling him closer to her.

"Ms. Kawakami?"

Even her name was something he couldn't say in public. She wanted to apologize for how she had been acting, but even that was hard at the moment. So she sheepishly gripped his sleeve tighter, not wanting to let go of what small gesture she could show.

Akira was surprised, but quickly caught on. He smiled, shuffling closer. His hand reached out to tug at the hem of her shirt, returning her gesture.

Silly as it was, it did cheer her up a bit that he played along. That despite her attitude, his smile continued to be gentle and caring.

For the remainder of their trek, they walked together. Not hand in hand, or even able to say how they feel, but still holding on to one another and doing their best to make their feelings known in some way. Not wanting to let go of the person that meant so much to them.

* * *

"Okay you two, listen up!" Morgana boastfully proclaimed as he stood by the TV in Akira's room. "Tomorrow is the day that we rush in to take the Treasure. So we have to make sure we are in top physical shape."

"Well, Mona seems quite motivated," Sadayo side-whispered to Akira. Unable to decipher Morgana's speech, she still did her best to understand him.

"He usually does this the night before a big heist. Sort of like a pep talk," Akira whispered back to Sadayo, not really paying attention to Morgana's monologue.

Facing Morgana was Akira who had changed to his tracksuit and Sadayo who was sitting by the workbench in her maid outfit. After a quick detour into Mementos the day before where they took out a few targets — in particular the thug who was going around attacking others — the Phantom Thieves were ready to do a final push.

Sadayo was admittedly nervous at first to enter Leblanc again after finding out about the bugs Futaba had planted. But Akira explained that he had talked to Futaba and learned that the second floor was mostly fine; it was moot to bug an attic and when he moved in, it was too late. While Sadayo was slightly annoyed that it meant she couldn't have a cup of coffee downstairs with Akira without an eavesdropper, it made her a bit at ease that not everything that they had already talked about had been overheard.

Morgana very audibly cleared his thought. Sadayo nervously smiled as she mouthed an apology. Akira simply shrugged.

"As Phantom Thieves we can't slack off with our physical training," Morgana continued when he saw his audience paying attention, "so Akira will be working on his exercise routine."

"He's basically going to have me do some pull-ups, sit-ups, that kind of work," Akira rolled his shoulders, starting light warm-ups.

"I see," Sadayo then turned to Morgana, and pointed at herself. "But then, why am I here?"

Morgana snickered proudly. "I'm glad you asked Ms. Kawakami. After the information that I've gathered—"

"You mean when I told you that Sadayo offered to help and how awesome her massages are," Akira quipped.

"—I've concluded that we can use her skills to help us improve our efficiency," Morgana continued, not letting Akira's comments slow him down. "Usually it's best to avoid any strenuous activity before our big day."

"You don't let me do anything, period."

"But I believe we should be able to afford a bit more leeway thanks to Ms. Kawakami's assistance, though we should probably limit it to stuff at Leblanc."

Sadayo looked back and forth between Akira and Morgana. She was confused and embarrassed at the casual praise of her massaging skills, but all she actually heard was a large amount of meowing from the cat while Akira simply made small quips with no real context.

"So the gist of it is that he wants to take advantage of your massage skills so we can get in some last minute work," Akira quickly summarized Morgana's speech.

"Oh, um… I guess I should do some cleaning until you're done?" Sadayo stood up to grab the broom but was halted as Morgana leaped to the workbench.

"Don't underestimate my genius. You'll be with me while he does his routine." Morgana placed his paws on an unfinished stun gun model. "You definitely have some skill when it comes to assembling things, but you're still amateurish, even more so than him. Luckily for you you have me to guide you. Since you are aware of our identities, I believe that it will also be beneficial to us if you can help in crafting additional thief tools. After all, these are essential items when it comes to sneaking in."

"I'm guessing he wants me to work there?" Sadayo looked at her boyfriend for confirmation.

"Yeah, he says that since you're good with your hands that you can help us make some thief tools."

"I see." Sadayo picked up the half-finished model from Mona's paw to examine it. "Still, I don't get it. How are these things supposed to help you out?" She quickly turned to Akira, noticing as he was about to say something. "Don't you dare take that as my question, mister."

"Very well. We'll leave that topic for another day," Akira shrugged with a playful smirk.

Morgana cleared his throat to catch his crowd's attention once more.

"Is everything okay?" Akira interrupted, concerned at his girlfriend's wince. "You always look worried when he does that."

"I can't help it — every time he does it sounds like he's about to cough a hairball," Sadayo answered with slight disgust.

"Anyway..." Morgana scowled. "For tonight we're starting you off on a lockpick. It's simple, but difficult to get it right since it's so fragile." With his tail, he proceeded to grab a finished one and handed it to Sadayo. "Luckily we should have plenty of materials for trial and error."

Akira paused on his arm-stretching and looked on to his girlfriend as she examined the lockpick. "You know you don't have to listen to Mona and do this, right? You're more than welcome to take it easy."

"Kurusu-kun, I'm fine. I have a clean bill of health, and this is nothing compared to how much I used to work. Just leave it to me!" Sadayo smiled with confidence as she pumped her fist. "You just focus on your part. I'll be sure to do my best on my end."

Akira turned away, unable to look at Sadayo with a straight face after that display.. ' _What am I supposed to say to that? I don't want her pushing herself too much, but the way she keeps pumping herself up is too cute. And the maid outfit...'_

He took a few breaths to calm his heart and hopefully clear his red face. "If that is what you want then I can't stop you. Just don't push yourself, okay?"

"Same goes to you, Mast— I mean," Sadayo cleared her throat before giving him a grin as she pretended that the slip didn't happen. "Don't push yourself too much, okay?"

Akira chuckled, and with a nod from both ends they went to work. By this point Akira had gotten a good pace of his workout. Compared to when he first started, which would leave him exhausted on the ground from going too fast too soon, he was able to go much longer. Sadayo on the other hand was busy at work on making her first lockpick. Like last time, Mona did his best to advise her, but it was still difficult to figure out what exactly he wanted her to do without writing a full instruction manual. After a few failed attempts they at the very least managed some gestures for Morgana to do for simple suggestions. Things like wrap around, folding, pouring and sealing, etc.

A couple of hours and several failed attempts — some admittedly caused by her occasional sneaky glances at her boyfriend working out — but Sadayo was eventually able to successfully make a lockpick.

"I did it!" she cheered. "Look Ma—"

"Oh, not bad."

Before she even turned to show Akira, he was already hovering over her.

"What the—" Sadayo jumped slightly from her seat, almost dropping the lockpick. "Stop doing that!"

"It must have been difficult since you can't understand Mona," Akira wiped his sweat, beaming. "You're amazing."

"It... it was nothing," Sadayo blushed, doing her best to hide the obvious smile she had at his compliment.

She was having a hard time focusing with Akira so close her. He seemed to have already finished his workout, having taken off the Shujin jacket sometime and was left in his undershirt and a small towel around his neck. He was breathing heavy and she could smell the faint sweat the workout had left behind. It wasn't strong enough to be unpleasant, but enough to remind her of the first time he embraced her at the hospital, bringing back those feelings of longing that she had denied then. Sadayo pursed her lips as she looked away while fiddling with her skirt, doing her best to keep her thoughts and actions in check as Akira took the lockpick from her.

"I must admit," Akira said as he straightened back, studying the lockpick, "having someone make these will help us keep up a steady supply. Though I wish we could make one that didn't break so easily."

"That could be possible, but we're going to need some higher quality materials than the stuff we find at the second-hand shop," Morgana replied, opening a shelf; inside were small glass jars containing metallic substances. "We got a bunch of aluminum, but we still need to get some liquid metal before we should try and make one."

"Guess we'll have to rely on these for now then." Akira flicked the lockpick into the air with a flourish before grabbing it with his hand. "I'm counting on you Becky."

"Huh!" Sadayo snapped from her thoughts. She turned to Akira and did her best to give a confident smile "Oh, um… sure, I'll do my best!"

"You okay over there?" Akira raised a brow at his girlfriend's jitters.

"Yeah I'm fine, perfectly fine! Actually about the whole questions thing?"

"Sure, ask away," Akira chuckled at her fluster, but decided to go easy on her this time.

"So umm…" Sadayo thought about what to ask. She had so many questions lined up. How did they steal hearts? How did they even learn to do that? Could he teach others? She thought long and hard about such things and even had her own theories on how they were possible. But one instance in particular stuck out, or more specifically, several similar instances.

"Remember at school when you replied that being a Phantom Thief is the reason why you were certain no one would hear us? If it's alright, I would like it if you could explain why that is."

He had been confident about that, and he backed his talk with the speed to hide from Ms. Chouno. Then there's that certain expression of concentration he tended to do at times; like most recently, when he had walked her home.

Sadayo wanted to trust him, to be certain that he knows what he's doing, and so far, whatever it is had been super effective. But without knowing the reason how and why he was able to, her mind punished itself with stress and hyper-imagination.

Akira blinked at her question, confused about the choice to ask that instead of the obvious ' _How do you steal hearts?'_ schtick. But he was willing to answer. "Sure. I don't know how well I explain, but I'll try my best." Akira took a seat by the edge of the bed patting the area next to him.

Sadayo complied, slightly hesitant.

"How do I explain this..." Akira pondered for some time, before turning to Sadayo. "It's a sort of gift that I got from a… let's just say _benefactor_. I don't know how to explain them even now without sounding crazy. If it's okay, I rather leave that subject for another time?"

"Oh, sure," Sadayo nodded, curious about what could sound crazier than a thief that steals people's hearts and makes them confess and act completely different.

"Anyway, it's sort of a six sense? I think the precise name is Third Eye. And it lets me be more aware of my surroundings. It's quite useful when you want to look for things or avoid attention. It even allows me to see things behind walls."

"Behind walls?" Sadayo asked with obvious suspicion.

"Nothing like that I promise," Akira innocently smiled. "And even if I tried, it wouldn't do me much good — the vision focuses more on highlighting things. At most I'd just see a bunch of female outlines on the other end with not much detail. Not something you want to have twenty-four-seven."

"Still, that seems way too crazy," Sadayo replied with uncertainty.

"More crazy than stealing someone's heart?"

"I don't know… I mean, maybe it involves hypnosis of some kind? Some sort of heavy-handed convincing or blackmail—"

"Never. Even if the people we target are truly heinous, blackmail wouldn't fix anything," Akira immediately replied with conviction.

Sadayo was taken by surprise before realizing why. "Sorry, I didn't mean to compare you to—"

"I know you weren't," Akira's smile quickly came back. At that moment, an idea hit him. "I think it will be better if I show you."

"Huh?" Sadayo blinked.

Akira stood up and walked towards his workbench. Ignoring Mona's knowing stare, he grabbed a long piece of cloth and tied it around his eyes. "Okay, pick anything you want and wave it. I'll be able to tell you what it is."

"Are you sure? That seems too broad," Sadayo raised a disbelieving brow.

"Wanna bet?"

"Oh fine…" Sadayo got up, proceeding to look around the room. She wandered a bit before deciding to go with something of her own.

"That's your carrying bag," Akira immediately answered.

Sadayo was surprised of his confidence, but figured it was a lucky guess because of the ruffling she did. She put down the bag and look around again. She moved to his shelf of knick knacks.

"That's the display ramen," Akira airly explained, hands in pockets. "Ryuuji gave that to me after we ate at the ramen joint we hang out in for the first time."

' _Okay, maybe he's just hearing my steps and guessing.'_ Sadayo put the bowl back in its place and took her shoes off, wanting to make less noise as she did her best to be quiet and grab something.

"It's round, so I'm going to guess it's a smoke bomb. Just be careful when you put it back, we don't need a repeat of last time. Speaking of that time, I had actually used my Third Eye to find the window."

' _He's not even trying.'_

By this point it was becoming a competition, one Sadayo wasn't keen on losing. She tried to do various things: digging through some not-often used containers only to rediscover his weird laundry, which is a question for another time; suggesting he wear his headphones with the volume cranked up, which revealed he had a taste for jazz; and turning him around and around to disorient him, which he indulged with fancy pirouettes. At one time Sadayo even grabbed a pillow, moved to the far end of the room, threw the pillow on the bed, and waved her empty hands.

The pillow made a soft _thunk_ , but Akira was still able to guess her misdirection.

Sadayo grumpily marched to the bed. The fact that he never turned directly towards her nor removed the blindfold to even check if he was right only exacerbated things. In a last attempt, Sadayo fetched her bag left beside his bed, figuring he just has a highly accurate map of _everything_ in his room.

"I can't tell what the book is about, but from the size and shape I'd say… romance novel?" Akira's tone shifted at the last moment out of surprise.

"I'm done, we can stop now!" Sadayo quickly hid the book back to her bag, flustered.

"Told you," Akira took off his blindfold, giving Sadayo a cocky yet playful smirk as he boasted, "it's going to take much more than that to catch me by surprise."

He purposely avoided to mention the fact that he didn't notice her eavesdropping before when he had been talking with Iwai.

"Fine, fine, you have observational superpowers," Sadayo pouted, but unable to be angry at him. "I guess I can't complain. Considering the situation we're in, having that would make things a lot easier. Now lie down, I still haven't given you your massage yet."

Sadayo followed Akira as he laid down on the bed and she began working on him. While his muscles were still tense, this time he seemed more relaxed and pliant under her fingers. Maybe because he was getting used to the massages, or because he wasn't getting stressed by Alibaba's discovery of their relationship, or because his girlfriend was recently flustered — something told her it was more than likely the latter and that only racked up her annoyance.

At that moment, a brilliant idea came to Sadayo. Looking down at Akira with a mischievous grin that he could be proud of, she continued to work on his back, waiting for his muscles to fully relax. Eventually they did, and her hands soon went down to his lower back.

With the open opportunity, Sadayo struck.

Akira twitched.

"What's the matter, Master? Did I hit a sensitive spot?" she asked innocently.

"N-no, not in particular," Akira offhandedly commented, trying to play it cool.

"Really?" Sadayo smirked with a sweet tone. "Then it's no problem if I do… this!" From the single-digit pokes, Sadayo's fingers became spiders, skittering on his sides.

"What the hell!?" Akira protested amidst laughing and snickering, trying to squirm away from the maid's fingers, but Sadayo's strength pinned him down.

"What's wrong? I thought you were too good for me to catch you off-guard," Sadayo continued to tease, unrelenting in her assault.

"You cheated and you know it!" Akira proclaimed, doing his best to resist her tickling. Slowly, he managed to shift himself by the edge of the bed.

"Now you're just being a sore loser, " Sadayo giggled.

"Can't be a sore loser if I haven't lost yet," Akira grinned as he managed to finally slip at the edge off the bed. He gracefully rolled to the floor, out of Sadayo's clutches, causing Sadayo to yelp as she toppled on the bed. He then turned around with a kick off the floor. Sadayo didn't process her boyfriend's smooth escape until he lunged and went for her waist while she was down.

"Eep!" Sadayo yelped as sudden pokes jolted her whole body, causing her to recoil.

"Gotcha," Akira's eyes gleamed as he hovered, trying not to straddle her and give the wrong impression. Face to face with the squealing Sadayo, he continued his counterattack as his nimble fingers made her dance to his tune.

"Nooohohoh, stop that! No fair! hahahaha!"

By this point, Sadayo was squirming all over the bed from his touch. Doing her best to keep composure while she tried to swat his hands away, she was still unable to contain the laughter and giggles that escaped her lips. Things were challenging since Akira moved like water, slippery as an eel, but she was aware enough to take the opportunity when it presented itself. Quickly, she grabbed his hands and pulled them apart and far from her, glaring with a contorted smile.

"Stop. It," Sadayo demanded, though much of the intimidation was lost in trailing giggles and flustered smiles.

"You're the one that started the attack. I just retaliated," Akira replied, his smug expression unfaltering after finding _that one_ little weak point of hers.

"I just figured I'd teach someone a little something about overconfidence," Sadayo retorted with a smirk of her own, still amused about getting the jump on him.

The two struggled as they stared each other down. On the defensive, Sadayo tried to keep him from going at it again while Akira attempted to get a few more pokes in. He couldn't help but be amused at the amount of strength she could pull up at times. Not that he was particularly strong outside the Metaverse, but he still trained.

"Do you really think that it's a good idea to play around before a heist?" Morgana complained suddenly from the couch.

"I-I'm sorry!" Sadayo's face burned as she remembered that Mona was around. Not sure of the disgruntled meow, she let go of Akira's wrist and she leaped to the other end of the bed.

Akira sighed, crawling after his girlfriend, making sure to telegraph that he wasn't attempting to start another round. "Come on Mona, I'll be fine. I'm not that tired and it's still too early to go to sleep." Akira gently grabbed Sadayo's head and slowly placed it on his shoulder.

"Kurusu-kun wha—" Sadayo blurted as her face went from blush to completely red.

"Besides, I don't get to spend time with my girlfriend often. And she did offer to help us. I think it's only fair that I want to give her some attention." Without shame, he nuzzled Sadayo's fluffy hair.

For her part, Sadayo couldn't speak. She buried her head in his shoulder, hiding her embarrassment and joy.

Mona sighed at the obvious display of affection. "Fine, I get the picture. Just don't overdo it, got it?" With that, Mona went out the window and left for the night.

Once he was sure Morgana had left, Akira let out a harried sigh.

Surprised by his sudden exhaustion, Sadayo pulled away. "What's wrong? Is everything okay between you two?"

"It's fine," Akira ran a haggard hand across his face. "It's just… it can be tiring at times. Sorry about doing that. I just wanted to have some space to breathe."

"Oh..." Sadayo's face lowered.

"N-not that I didn't mean it or anything. I do want to spend time with you and I'm grateful for all your help," Akira quickly added, realizing how his explanation must have come across. He shot her a wry but relieved look when she snickered at his fluster. "Haha. Anyway, sometimes Mona can be too much of a hardass."

"What do you mean?" Sadayo asked, smiling but concerned. She gave an inviting pat on her lap. "Come, talk to me about it for a bit."

Akira's smile softened with gratitude as he lay down. Instantly, his guard relaxed in contentment. "Sometimes he acts like my living planner. Always telling me when I have or don't have time to do things. I know he means well, but..." Akira rubbed his forehead, hands slowly lowering to massage between his eyes. "Sometimes, I feel like even now, I don't have control over my own life."

Sadayo placed her hand on Akira's head, slowly stroking his hair with concern. "Why not talk to him about this? Like you said, it's your life."

"It's fine. I don't resent or blame him at all. I know very well that what he says are true. Besides…" Akira let out a tired exhale. "As much as I wish it was, it really isn't just my life. It's also that of my teammates, my friends, my allies, you." He placed his hand against Sadayo's blushing cheek, letting his body sink into a state of calm. Her presence, her warmth, her voice, her touch… it was all very relaxing. "Sorry… I just felt like venting..."

Sadayo giggled, cradling the hand touching her cheek before moving her hand down to his cheek. "It's fine… you've always heard me out when I complained, so it's only fair that I hear you out as well. Besides..." Sadayo took a deep breath, glad to finally have some time alone to bring the topic up. "I'm the one that should be apologizing. For how I acted around you that night after you saw me with Doc— I mean, Takemi."

It was a bit odd to call someone like that since she only recently got to know Takemi. After all, she has yet to call her boyfriend by his first name, let alone without the honorific.

"You hadn't really done anything wrong," Sadayo continued, "and you didn't deserve me being so snappy with you when you were just worried. I was just..."

Sadayo's trailed off when she noticed that Akira had fallen asleep.

For a second she glared at him with annoyance, considering the effort she put to bring the subject up. But with the issue with Morgana and the impending heist, she figured it was probably for the best that he rest.

Sadayo carefully lifted his head from her lap and placed it on the bed. Grabbing the blanket she placed it over him, just like he would in those instances that she'd ended up taking a nap in his attic. Just as she was about to leave she was reminded of Mona's departure.

She understood Akira's frustration, but she hoped that it didn't cause any friction between them. Carefully, she took a paper from her bag.

 **Hey Mona…**

 **I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable, and I'm sorry if Akira's attitude only made things more awkward or frustrating. I know you mean well, and we both know how stubborn he can be at times about things. So let's both do our best for him, okay?**

Leaving the note on the desk with one of the tools as a paperweight, Sadayo turned to the slumbering Akira once more. Baffled and slightly impressed, she studied his peaceful and cute expression, hiding the lurking mischievous nature underneath.

' _By tomorrow you'll be doing whatever it is you do to steal hearts. Will you be okay? Or...'_

Sadayo shook her head. ' _No, I can't think like that. He's done it before right? So there is no reason he can't do it again.'_

"But still..." Sadayo looked down at Akira. Despite her words, she couldn't help but worry and wish for his safety.

"I know things weren't fair to you with the first promise because some people have already found out about us, but I know you'll do everything you can to keep your other promise. Still… just for good luck."

She kissed two of her fingers and gently placed them against his lips.

"Go get them, Master..."

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Sadayo spoke up, frozen from her work on her desk in the faculty office.

"We need someone to supervise the girl's volleyball team during their practices," Ms. Chouno repeated her request to her stunned colleague.

"Shouldn't that be designated to the P.E. teacher?" Sadayo inquired with a hint of skepticism, still confused about why she of all people was being asked to do this.

"It would be, but he already has his hands busy trying to work with the boy's volleyball team and the reinstated track team. Besides…" Ms. Chouno exhaled, a hint of shame showing in her tone. "The girls and their parents would rather not have a male teacher in charge."

"I-I guess that's understandable," Sadayo turned away, guilty at the ugly reminder of her past failures. "I can't promise I'll be better, but I'll give it a shot."

" _Gracias_ ," Ms. Chouno sighed in relief. "Seriously, I mean it. You've been a big help lately it's almost like I was talking to a completely different person."

"I don't blame you for that," Sadayo smiled awkwardly, hoping that this conversation wouldn't lead to asking about the drastic change. "Thought I will admit this is a bit sudden."

"I know, and I'm sorry for that," Ms. Chouno apologized. "Originally I was in charge of supervising the girls, but sadly I have to help out with coordinating with the hotel for the second year's school trip, so I needed someone to take my place."

"That's right! That's going to be happening right after classes starts," Sadayo's mood quickly brightened at the mention of the trip. "So much stuff had happened already that it slipped my mind."

"You sound surprisingly excited about it. Shocking, considering you never came along for the last few."

"I just had a number of things that made it hard for me to do so. Anyway, I should get ready if I'm to supervise." Sadayo sorted her papers before moving to head out of the teacher's lounge.

"Actually, before you go," Ms. Chouno quickly interjected, stopping Sadayo from fully leaving. "I should probably warn you, but the girls aren't exactly the most welcoming..."

"That's not surprising," Sadayo turned away, disheartened by the news. "But it is our fault after all. The best we can do is confront their disdain and slowly win back their trust." She turned back to Ms. Chouno, doing her best to show a determined smile while pumping her fist. "Wish me luck."

And with those words she left.

"Best of luck," Ms. Chouno replied with a smile. "Whether it was the Phantom Thieves that stole her heart or because of what Mr. Hiruta suggested... honestly, by this point I rather not look a gift horse in the mouth."

* * *

Having changed in one of the school tracksuits, Sadayo headed towards the school gym. As she reached the door, she found herself hesitant to enter. She had been slowly trying to win her students' trust and respect, but now she was going to deal with students who were directly harmed by Kamoshida's actions… and her inaction.

' _How should I even introduce myself? Should I be commanding and take charge? That might make them more likely to listen to me as an authority figure, but then they might be more apprehensive at someone just coming in out of nowhere and acting like they own the place. I could be more passive, but then they might walk all over me.'_

Sadayo placed her head against the door, hearing grunts and skids from the other side. She did her best to act confidently with Ms. Chouno who had trusted her with this task, but she really had no idea what to do, both with volleyball in general, or how to deal with the girls.

"Feels like I'm going into a room full of Takamaki-chan, and I already get so nervous when it comes to her." Sadayo's hands tightened into a fist, a heavy sensation weighing on her chest. "But… that also probably has to do for other reasons."

Shutting her eyes tightly, she straightened her spine like a soldier, doing her best to shake off her hesitation. "Come on, we can't just avoid this. Get it together!" She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Okay, no matter what, they are probably not going to be happy with me. Might as well just be myself then."

Not wanting to delay things any more than she already had, she opened the door and uneventfully went in. From the looks of it, the girls had already started practice without her, forming groups of two as they passed the ball back and forth. None of them paid her more than a few quick glances to see the new arrival before going back to their routine.

Not surprised by their reaction, Sadayo didn't let it deter her as she walked towards the girls, clapping her hands together as she reached the court. "If I could get your attention please."

She was a bit relieved when the girls stopped what they were doing and all turned to her, though they mostly stayed where they were. That relief was slowly lost though, as she noticed the type of looks they were all giving her. At best some seemed bored, but a few of them glared with distrust, clearly angered by her presence.

Sadayo cleared her throat once more, "As you all well know, Ms. Chouno had been in charge of supervising the team, but unfortunately due to other responsibilities, she will not be able to continue those duties. So I will be taking her place as supervisor until further notice." Sadayo gave a bow towards the girls. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I'm not that experienced with volleyball, but I do know a bit about the technical stuff..."

Sadayo reeled in disgust internally at her last statement. Her volleyball knowledge was there not because she showed interest in the sport, but it came from the many talks she had with their previous coach, Suguru Kamoshida. Back to those days before she met Akira, when she had dreaded doing her job as a teacher, in a way to ignore her self-loathing, she would turn to Kamoshida as someone to be admired, respected. Someone she looked up to as the kind of teacher she wished she could be. If she had only known what kind of man he truly was, if she hadn't let her own problems get in the way... then maybe the students in front of her now wouldn't had to suffer.

Sadayo bowed once more, her knuckles white from gripping the clipboard. "So if you will just give me a chance, I promise you that I'll do my best."

The gym was completely silent.

Not letting the palpable contempt reveal her unease, Sadayo straightened. "I guess I should call to see if everyone is here. Um, Ryoko Aonuma?"

Nobody answered. One of the girls passed the ball to her partner, which prompted the rest to follow and go back to practice.

"Ran Araraki?" Sadayo continued.

The girls still wouldn't answer.

She called every girl on the team, but not one replied, leaving her to count to at least see if there were absences. This is how it was for the remainder of the practice; her trying to reach out, the girls blocking her off If they spoke it was only to each other, only following orders from the girl who Sadayo figured was the team captain.

It was obvious that she was unwanted.

Sadayo still wanted to try to reach out, but by the end of it, she had made zero progress and the girls went to their locker room.

"Ms. Chouno warned me that they were not easy, but..." Sadayo lowered her head in shame as she was left alone at the gym. "How am I supposed to help if they won't even talk to me?" Maybe she should follow them into the locker room? It was the nearest place to change, but that would also mean enduring the girls' contempt in a smaller room. She left the gym and paused by the door to the girls' locker room, before deciding not to enter. But then, voices came from inside.

"It's bad enough that we had to go through what that Kamoshida did to us and stay quiet, but now because of him the school isn't even bothering to support the team."

"The problem teacher got caught, but because of it, we still end up suffering."

"It's just not fair!"

A loud slam came from one of the lockers, causing Sadayo to flinch. She wanted to talk to them, but after their silence, she knew that this was the only way she'd get their thoughts. So she leaned against the wall beside the door, listening.

"I guess it's no surprise that they sent us Ms. Kawakami, just like they threw that Kurusu guy in her class."

"Students of low importance get the low-effort teacher."

"I mean Ms. Chouno wasn't any better, but at least she volunteered herself."

"Although I had been hearing that she was apparently becoming more active lately. She even defended Kurusu."

"She probably did it 'cause it would look bad on her."

"A lot of teachers act like they care, but they are only doing that 'cause everyone is watching them and the school, so they don't want to get caught. In the end that's all it is. An act."

The girls continued to vent throughout the afternoon as Sadayo simply listened. It was sobering to realize how out of depth she was from them.

It wasn't a simple matter of lending them a hand. To them, she was just an adult, a selfish adult that never showed care for them and was just using them. And until she was able to show them differently, that's all she'd be to them.

* * *

"I really should have listened to mom's instructions more carefully," Sadayo lamented as she looked down at the number of burned karaage in her lunch.

After overhearing the girls talk, Sadayo needed some time alone. Knowing that students aren't permitted to go to the roof, she fled to its privacy, not even bothering to change from the school tracksuit. As a bonus, she also remembered the flowers that she had seen the last time she was here with Akira, and they were nice to look at while she moped.

"Maybe I should take up on Kurusu-kun's offer to make me lunch." Sadayo put her bento down after a few dissatisfied bites, taking out her phone.

[S]: Hey…

[S]: I hope things are going well on your end.

 **Message was not able to send.**

Sadayo sulked at her phone. "He mentioned that today was the big day. I hope he's okay..."

Blush bloomed on her cheeks as she remembered her " _gesture"_ from last night. He wasn't even aware of her kiss, but she yearned to return his affections anyway she can.

Sadayo sighed, reaching to finger the soft petals of the flower nearest to her. Her heart ached for his gentle touch and comforting voice as her mind counted down the minutes until she was able to see him again.

"We only just started dating and I already miss having him in class. I'm supposed to be responsible, but here I am, gushing over my boyfriend like a schoolgirl." Mortifying giggles came out of Sadayo's lips, despite her protests. " _Boyfriend…_ it's still a bit embarrassing to call him that out loud."

She couldn't help but smile at how much her perspective on him had changed, especially now that she was aware of her feelings. The way he made her heart excitedly skip, her body comfortably relax. How even when things seem dire he was able to be a pillar of support, keeping her from wallowing in her regrets and fears and helping her stand up and march forward and allowing her to get back on track to doing what she loved to do. But what was most surprising is how much he meant to her.

Sadayo had been in a few relationships in the past, but none of them made her feel the same way that Akira did. Not the good-natured, but unfortunate Masu, nor the admittedly fun, but uninvested Kasuya. Whether it was because of her or the other party, Sadayo had never felt anything special when it came to her partners.

But with Akira it was different. She wanted to know more about him. She wanted to be with him, to hold him close…

' _Stop,'_ Sadayo thought, slapping her lobster-red face. ' _No need to get more detailed.'_

...But in the end, what made her the happiest was that he felt the same. He didn't do any grand gestures, but despite their age difference and all the stuff he has to deal with, Akira was incredibly attentive and supportive.

Hands both cradling her cheeks, Sadayo nearly squeed. ' _Who would've thought I'd be this happy from being in a relationship with one of my students.'_

Students.

" _It's just not fair!"_

The reminder echoed one of the girls' yell of anguish from earlier, reasserting reality.

"It really isn't fair…" sighed Sadayo, back to moping. "Here I am, being all giddy and happy because I have Kurusu-kun, but those girls had to suffer because of another teacher." Her head lowered dejectedly, staring at her phone. "Am I really any different than him?"

Suddenly, the metal door on the roof creaked open. Startled, Sadayo quickly pocketed her phone guiltily, studying the newcomer.

The first thing she saw was the hair. Reddish and oh-so fluffy that it tempted Sadayo to pet it or at least see if it can bounce off projectiles. Then the school tracksuit, puzzling Sadayo if there were other sports team loitering in the school, which made her wonder if this student — girl — knew that sports-related events aren't held in the roof.

The girl seemed quite focused on opening the heavy door that she hadn't noticed Sadayo until she lifted her head.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I wasn't expecting anyone to be here."

"Nono, it's fine Okumura-chan. You weren't interrupting anything," Sadayo quickly interjected.

Even with how little she had tried to get herself involved with her students back then, even she knew of Haru Okumura, daughter of the CEO of Okumura Foods. At the very beginning of the year that she had joined Shujin, the principal had called everyone at staff. Kunikazu Okumura had made a considerable donation to the school, thus the staff were warned not to do anything that might cause his daughter to complain. Since then, the teachers had either kept their distance or did everything they could to please the daughter. Wanting to avoid problems, Sadayo had chosen the former.

Except for now. Sadayo blinked, realizing the situation at the moment. "Wait, I thought students aren't allowed up here?"

"I got special permission to be here since I'm in charge of tending to the garden," the girl replied politely.

"I see."

Okumura-chan tilted her head. "I must admit, it was surprising to find you here Ms. Kawakami."

"Ditto," Sadayo smiled awkwardly. "Sorry if I'm intruding, just needed a change of scenery." Feeling a bit odd that she was apologizing to a student for being in school grounds, she changed the subject and gestured to the flowers and vegetables around the roof, trying to convey her genuine admiration. "I must say though — it's quite impressive. I've never seen many of these flowers in person before."

"Thank you, but it's not much," Okumura-chan smiled, though Sadayo could tell that it was more out of courtesy. Then Okumura-chan went wide-eyed. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She dashed back inside.

Sadayo followed, curious. She didn't expect to go all the way down to the ground floor where she saw Okumura-chan struggling to lift a large sack from a cart. The sack looked heavy, something a dainty-figured Okumura-chan shouldn't carry alone, especially when she tried to turn it around the stairs like some sort of super-sized slinky.

Regardless, Okumura-chan seemed to be used to it as she had a good momentum, slowly but steadily climbing up the steps. But just as she was about to reach the landing, her hand slipped. Okumura-chan yelped as the sack fell with several thumps.

"Ah! Okumura-chan!" Sadayo hurried down to her student, who was luckily more disappointed than hurt. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay; luckily the sack didn't tear this time, so I just have to try again." Okumura-chan started moving towards the sack that had slid back to the ground floor.

Sadayo looked between the sack and her student. "Why don't I help you carry these up?"

"Huh?" Okumura-chan turned back to Sadayo, obviously confused.

Sadayo smiled confidently as she pumped a fist. "I may not look like it, but I'm quite good at manual labor."

Pensiveness then contemplation crossed Okumura-chan's face, especially when she turned to the cart still full of heavy sacks. "It would help to get them up faster," she hedged.

"Just leave it to me," Sadayo encouraged as she grabbed one end of the sack. "I'll take this side and you take the other, okay? Just let me know when you need a break."

Okumura-chan was now positively befuddled, but eventually, she nodded.

It was several trips, each one requiring more stop points than the last, but eventually they managed to transport all sacks. When the last sack was unceremoniously thrown on the roof floor, both of them sat tiredly on the desks, breathing heavily as they caught their breath.

"That... took longer... than I expected," Sadayo huffed. "Why don't you ask others to help out? It can't be easy doing this all on your own."

Some of her reddish hair clung to her forehead; Okumura-chan shook her head as she wiped her sweat, not looking at Sadayo. "I've already asked a lot for access to the roof. I don't want to inconvenience anyone any more than needed."

"I see, but I ended up helping though," Sadayo quickly retorted.

"That's true..."

"Well, I can't promise much. And I know for sure that I won't be able to once school starts again, but if you ever need help feel free to ask me."

Okumura-chan whipped back to Sadayo, shaking her head and waving her hands in panic. "Oh no, you don't have to—"

"Think of it as my thanks for letting me come up here from time to time." Sadayo scratched her cheek, sheepish before turning a tad sour. "Though I guess usually it would be the other way around with this kind of situation. I mean, I am your teacher."

The reminder was a good note to try to appear dignified in front of a student. Sadayo sat from her slump, straightening her clothes in vain. "I will say though, I'm glad that I hadn't changed from my tracksuit; it would had been harder if I was wearing my regular stuff. Not to mention the smell..."

"It's not surprising with how much manure we carried up."

"Ma-manure?!" Sadayo paled as she gaped at the nonchalant Okumura-chan. "You mean we've been carrying poop?!"

"Yep," Okumura-chan cheerfully replied.

"Blegh!" Sadayo recoiled in disgust.

Okumura-chan burst out laughing, belatedly clapping her hands over her mouth when she realized she was making fun of a teacher.

Sadayo was torn between: annoyance at the realization that she had received and handled figurative and literal crap all afternoon from the girls and now Okumura-chan; worry that Okumura-chan's unwashed hands are now on her mouth; and gladness that the invisible ice had finally broken. After the volleyball team's reception, it was nice to have a student happy in her presence, despite the copious amounts of dung.

After a few minutes, Okumura-chan calmed down. "Are you perhaps interested in gardening?"

"Not a lot, sorry, but I do like flowers."

"Then what kind of flowers do you like?" Okumura-chan smiled, now genuine. "If you like, I can try growing some."

Stunned, Sadayo took a while to respond, but her smile immediately grew to an excited grin. There was only one answer.

"Dahlias!"

* * *

"What a day..."

Beer in hand, Sadayo groaned as she crashed on her couch. The couch was her witness and companion in all her years of hard work and drunken ramblings, and this time was no different after a day of figurative and literal crap. "It's still early afternoon and I'm already tired."

She took a sip and turned to her charging phone on the side table. Swiping the lockscreen revealed no new messages from Akira.

Previously held at bay by the warm shower, the worry — that she feared was going to be familiar throughout the year and age her to sixty — came back with a vengeance. For the umpteenth time, Sadayo told herself that everything was fine. In direct contrast to her self-reassurance, she took a long swig and immediately sent another message.

[S]: Please let me know when you're safe okay?

Sadayo didn't bother to wait. She put her phone down and reached for her remote, intending to distract herself with "Kingdom Under the Starry Sky".

Then her phone beeped.

Her whole body jerked towards it like a fish on a hook, hoping desperately for an answer.

[A]: Mission Accomplished!

A large, cathartic exhale dispersed from Sadayo, expelling the majority of the lingering stress from the entire day. Instantly, her body sagged bonelessly in relief, draping all over the couch.

[S]: Are you okay?

[S]: Did you get hurt this time?

[S]: Can I come over?

[A]: I'm fine

[A]: Takemi is taking care of things.

Annoyance immediately followed, much to her frustration. Though it didn't last when she read his following messages.

[A]: Sojiro closed the shop early.

[A]: You're welcome to come whenever you want.

Fire lit up in Sadayo as new energy coursed through her with purpose.

[S]: I'll be right over.

* * *

Nearly ripping the door off its hinges, Sadayo entered Leblanc. When she crossed the length of the counter, familiar but unwelcome steps came from upstairs, making her wary. She was proven right when Takemi came into view.

"I'm surprised to see you, _Becky_ ," Takemi met her halfway with a knowing smirk. Mercifully, she didn't comment on the maid outfit and just nudged her head upwards, towards the attic. "No need to worry; he just got a few scrapes and bruises, but he's dealt with a lot worse."

Self-annoyance was a familiar feeling that Sadayo could live without, especially when it stemmed from petty jealousy. But it was mitigated by the relief that Akira was fine.

Takemi let out a playful chuckle "So, why are you standing here for?"

Sadayo blinked, confused.

"He's waiting for you. Now if you'll excuse me, I was actually about to leave." Takemi walked past the flustered Sadayo.

Suddenly, she stopped, right behind the maid's shoulder. "You know where to find me if you still think it will be necessary."

When the sound of the door and its bell rang, Sadayo snapped herself from her thoughts. She hated to admit it, but Takemi had won this one. But if what the doctor had said is true, then...

Akira was waiting for her.

She hurried up the stairs.

There, supine on his bed, was Akira. The sight of him finally washed off the remnants of the grueling, crappy day. It took everything in her not to tackle his tired body.

"Hey..." Sadayo softly greeted, her relief palpable as she approached. "I ran into Takemi. Are you okay? Can you get up?"

"I'm fine, just need to rest," Akira replied with his trademark confidence.

It helped Sadayo calm down a bit, but it wasn't enough to erase all of her worries, especially since he didn't — or couldn't — even try sitting up. "Here, let me at least try to alleviate some of it." Sadayo sat next to him and got to work.

At first, she tried working on his back, but after he flinched too many times, Sadayo decided to stop. Instead she focused her work on his legs and arms, which were sore but less injured. She had him sit up so that she wouldn't accidentally put any unnecessary pressure.

"So..." Sadayo quietly started, kneading his left arm. "I'm guessing from your message that you were successful with your mission."

"Sort of," Akira replied, still confident despite what he had just said.

"Wait, what do you mean ' _sort of'_?" Sadayo raised her brow, already expecting a number of things that she wouldn't understand.

"Technically, we didn't steal her heart, but Futaba was able to change her heart on her own," Akira decided to explain; no need to stress Sadayo like last time. "Still, we helped her get to the root of her problems — the twisted desire that had affected her cognition."

"There! There's that word again!" Sadayo pointed accusingly at Akira.

"Huh?"

" _Cognition_. Sakamoto-kun said the same thing a few days back and now you're saying it too." Sadayo held back her desire to cross her arms as she was still busy massaging Akira's arm. "I looked it up afterwards, and from what I read, it has something to do with how we process things around us. And I'm guessing that what you do is to affect that. If so, does that mean that it's like what Akechi-kun said about being able to do more than just extract confession and..."

Sadayo stopped her rambling as she realized what she had just said. "I'm sorry, I wasn't implying that—"

"It's fine, it's not like you know about it exactly," Akira chuckled as he laid down, resting on the lap of his unprotesting girlfriend. "I'm honestly impressed Akechi is able to compile that much just from what little info he probably has."

"How exactly do you do it?" Sadayo finally asked. "After seeing Kamoshida and the Takases it's obviously not normal, and I just can't see any of you as the type to blackmail anyone. Besides how would that had helped Sakura-chan?"

"You sure you want to ask that now? It's a lot of info."

"We don't have to talk about everything, but we can at least start." Sadayo looked down at Akira, stroking his cheek.

"If that is what you wish," Akira smiled, nuzzling into her hand. "So let's start with what you know. What do you think it is that we do?"

"Well..." Sadayo contemplated, "considering how much Morgana was determined about you needing— wait, where is Mona anyway? Is he okay?" She looked around in worry.

"He's fine," Akira quickly replied. "He decided to hide at Futaba's room for tonight. After the way things ended he wanted to make sure that there weren't going to be any weird side effects."

Sadayo sighed in relief, placing her hand on top of her boyfriend's unruly mane. Stroking it gently, she continued, "Anyway, he was determined that you get some rest. Add the fact that you're often hurt afterwards, I'd say that it requires a lot of physical activity, and that it's very taxing on your body."

' _To the point of injury_ ,' she didn't say out loud. She tried not to think of worse instances that Takemi had implied earlier.

"This is helped with how good you are at sneaking, not to mention that perception of yours." Sadayo began counting with one hand while continuing to play with Akira's hair with the other. "You seem to know intricate details of the targets and you're able to make them admit to what they did despite their lack of remorse. They don't even mention you at all. If it wasn't for the calling cards, no one would had known that they were targeted and…"

Sadayo lowered her head, sobered by the implications. "People will just think they had some sort of... mental shut down." She grimaced. "Sorry, but based on those things, what Akechi-kun does say seems to be right and... I admit it's very scary."

"And that is...?" Akira inquired, generally unbothered except for the nod to the Detective Prince.

Sadayo hesitated. "That you're using some sort of ability to... forcefully change someone's personality? That it could possibly be used to make people commit crimes against their will?"

"Well, you're half-right?" Akira sighed.

"Wait, what?!" Sadayo desperately looked to her boyfriend for answers. "So you mean—"

"Let me explain," Akira raised his hand to stop Sadayo from overthinking things and to save his hair from her harsh grip. "Let's say that most of the stuff you said is correct, but not to the scale that you're probably imagining."

"What do you mean by that?"

"What if I told you that there is another world beyond this one? Different yet similar."

"You mean like a... mirror world?" Sadayo scrunched her brows.

"I guess that's a good way to describe it." Akira twirled his own locks around a finger in thought. He sat up from Sadayo's lap and settled beside her her, raising a hand like he wanted to give her a high-five. "Imagine this mirror, in which its reflection would show the beholder how one views thing. Basically it's a world created by one's strong desires."

"...You keep talking about this different world, but that's... really out there, even for me."

"Oh? Then what crazy thought did you have?" Akira asked with a teasing grin.

"Oh, uh..." Sadayo fidgeted with her skirt as she broke eye-contact, blushing embarrassingly. "Well, that you were an actual phantom thief. With a flashy costume who leaps into the night and confront criminals in the act?" She smiled awkwardly at her childish image of her boyfriend. "Sorry, I know it's kind of silly."

"What if I said that you're actually right?" Akira said with an amused smile.

"Wait, really!?" Sadayo turned back to Akira with more excitement than intended.

Akira chuckled. "Yeah, I have a mask and everything."

"Is there… any way I can see it?" Sadayo clasped her hands hopefully.

Akira shook his head, half-regretful that he can't show his badass get-up to his girlfriend. "Sorry, it's something that I can only do in that other world. Phones don't work over there either so I wouldn't be able to take a picture to show you."

"Awww..." Sadayo slumped in disappointment. ' _That at least explains why I couldn't reach him before.'_ "So how does this world correlate with what you do?"

"Remember your second theory, about how it could be used on anyone to make them do crimes. Well our methods make it hard to target just anyone." Akira raised his hand again, this time holding three fingers as the other two stayed curled. "It's a bit complicated, but I'll leave it with this for now. Number one: we are only able to target individuals with twisted desires."

"Twisted… desires…? You said that earlier..."

"Yeah, stuff like glutinous or lustful desires."

' _Lustful…?'_ Sadayo stared, a heavy weight in her heart.

"At first we thought that meant only those who would commit evil acts," Akira continued, "but it seems that the term is more broad than expected. Whether they are towards others… or themselves, as we recently confirmed."

' _So they don't even have to be evil thoughts.'_

"Number two: what we do is get rid of those desires. The reason why they confess is because they are still aware of what they did, despite no longer having the interest. And number three: until the change occurs we are unable to influence them in any way." Akira shrugged, "If we could have, we would had Kamoshida retract our expulsion sooner, or at the very least make himself really want to punch himself in the gut a couple of times."

"But how can you be so certain? There has to be a way to confirm if they are twisted, right?" Sadayo nervously asked.

"That will be going into a whole lot of stuff, but simply put, we have this app that allows us to go to the other world and confirm whether the target has any sort of twisted desire."

"A phone app?" Sadayo parroted in disbelief before looking at her boyfriend's innocent phone by his pillow. She turned back to Akira and asked, "May I see it?"

"Sure?" Akira raised an eyebrow, unlocking and almost handing his phone over before pulling back. "Why?"

"You know what they say, 'seeing is believing'," Sadayo's smile was strained.

"Sadayo? What are you—"

"I just want to know if there's something wrong with me," Sadayo blustered out. "I mean, here I am having an affair with one of my students and I'm happy while so many were harmed by Kamoshida. You said it yourself didn't you? Lustful desires, how one didn't have to be evil—"

"Sadayo," Akira cut off the rambling worriedly, putting the phone down and reaching out for Sadayo's hand with both of his as he drew her close. "Did something happen today?"

Despite her fear, Sadayo revelled in their proximity, almost clinging to his grasp as her forehead leaned to rest against his. Just as it had calmed her then when she panicked about Alibaba, his nearness did so again. But the guilt was still persistent.

"Sorry, I was just put in charge of the girls' volleyball team today. It kind of brought back a lot of reminders of how much I had screwed up. Kind of makes me worry that all of this is just another big screw-up from my part and that I'm only hurting you."

Akira frowned. "Sadayo, you've done nothing wrong. I was the one who confessed to you; you took your time. You are also determined to take responsibility and not let our relationship affect things at school. You're doing everything that you can to make sure I don't get hurt."

"Everything but reject you," Sadayo painfully forced out of her throat.

Akira could see tears forming at the corner of her eyes. He wanted to prove her wrong once more. To hold her down and show her how much he meant to her. But he felt that it would only hurt her now. So he stayed in place, his hands gently rubbing hers for comfort, keeping his gaze gentle..

"I can't deny that many will probably misunderstand," Akira held back from sighing pointblank at his girlfriend's face, "and that many will not approve, but what we have right now is not twisted or wrong."

Sadayo tiredly chuckled with a weak smile. "Kinda hard to agree when all we do is stay hidden in an attic."

"Then let's change that!" Akira pulled away from Sadayo, determined.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Sadayo blinked at the abrupt change.

Akira kept her hands in his, never looking away from her beautiful eyes. "Sadayo Kawakami, will you go out on a date with me?"

"WHAAAAT?!"

* * *

 **Sorry once again for the long wait between chapters. I hope that you have enjoyed it and was worth the wait.**

 **Recently I have been talking to an artist by the name of Nanko Doujin and am in the process of getting a number of scenes of these story to be illustrated by them. Illustrations for the prologue and chapter 1-3 can already be seen in his tumblr page and more will be slowly added when able.**

 **Once again thank you to both SomebodyLost and Chessicfayth for their help.**

 **I can't give an estimate for when the next chapter is, but look forward to a very big moment.**


	20. Chapter 19

**I'm sure you've all waited long enough. Enjoy...**

 **Characters don't belong to me, but to Persona 5 of Atlus.**

* * *

 **Chapter 19**

' _A date… as in, the both of us going outside... together...'_

A subtle sound was on the edges of her perception, but Sadayo was too preoccupied, lost in her thoughts.

' _What is he thinking?! If we did that, then someone could recognize us! A student, or_ _worse_ _, another teacher!'_

The noise was nearer, impatient sounding, yet it flew over her head.

' _We could get caught, I could lose my job, we could be arrested, he could be gone and it's all because of my stupid decision and—'_

Suddenly, a loud meow blasted her ears and concentration. Sadayo startled, reeled back to Earth.

She was at Leblanc, preoccupied with folding laundry. The constant source of the noises was Morgana. Looking down, Sadayo realized how tightly she was gripping the… shirt? Probably the reason why Morgana was trying to get her attention. She quickly loosened her grip, relieved to see that she hadn't damaged it before she folded it and placed it to the side.

Morgana meowed a few more times before going to the work bench and grabbing the pen. Sadayo quickly figured out what he wanted and dug a notepad from her bag and placed it by Mona.

 **[Is something the matter Ms. Kawakami?]**

Sadayo smiled at the messy — but improving — penmanship, shaking her head. "Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind." She went back to folding.

After the number of times that she had done the laundry for Akira, she had become used to the weird assortment of clothing. Ever since Sadayo discovered that studded top in the laundromat, she had prepared herself for the worst. But to her surprise — aside from the occasional baffling undies with the flag of Japan on the crotch to gaudy gold shirts that Akira informed her were 'armor' — they weren't all that bad. This load in particular; while it still had its silly selections like the red jacket with a design of a pyramid on its back and a vest with skull patterns, it also had a very traditional-looking blue royal haori. It actually reminded her of the kind that she would see in historical exhibitions back at home, though she couldn't recognize the family crest on it. But the thing that caught her eye the most was the yellow shawl.

It seemed crocheted with a pyramid-like pattern. Sadayo found it very pretty, and didn't realize that she had been running her hands over it for several minutes until a light meow struck her attention again.

Mona tapped the notepad. **[If you want it, I'm sure Joker would be more than willing to give it to you.]**

"N-no no, it's fine! I could always just go buy one if I wanted. And besides, I'm sure it wouldn't look good on me." Sadayo swiftly folded the pretty shawl and shoved it under a pile. Her eyes focused momentarily to the word Joker. It was the name Akira apparently went by when he did his thieving, and she admitted that seeing him being referred to as such by his talking cat added an extra layer of surrealness.

 **[It's fine. We sell them most of the time anyway. And the person we sell it to doesn't give us much for it, so I'm sure it won't be missed.]** At her open doubt, Mona added, **[Plus, we're still good on our finances, so it's not a big deal.]**

"What do you mean you're good financially?" Sadayo asked with interest, remembering how Akira was always able to throw money just to request her.

 **[We are thieves. We have ways of making money.]**

"Please don't tell me that you're actually stealing from people," Sadayo slumped with a worried sigh at the surprisingly cocky cat. She recalled the commonly-held assumption that pets and their owners tend to end up alike in some form.

 **[Don't worry, technically we aren't stealing. We just]**

Mona then stopped, obviously pondering something. He continued on a new area of the page.

 **[Actually, I think you should ask Joker. I'd probably end up using the whole notepad otherwise.]**

Sadayo was concerned at Morgana's statement considering there was still more than half of the notepad left unused. She began to understand why Akira had placed a limitation to her questions.

"Where is Akira anyway?" she asked instead. "Actually, if you don't mind, what does he usually do at night?"

Morgana began writing once more. **[Many things. But right now, playing shogi.]**

"Huh, shogi? Didn't realize he was the type, especially when you consider his personality and the etiquette involved with it," Sadayo remarked in shock, only for something to hit her. "Wait, is he actually playing, or is this some sort of Phantom Thief thing?"

 **[Both.]**

"How...?" Sadayo raised her brow in disbelief. The concept of a board game helping her boyfriend in his thieving was a bit ridiculous, but so was communicating with a talking magical cat.

 **[Let's just say that... the person he plays with can be very intense and vivid. It's good combat simulation training to help him coordinate things.]** Mona made one of those snicker-like sounds, shoulders shaking. **[Though he always loses.]**

"Let me guess. He's a sore loser and he hates to surrender," Sadayo giggled. "It's why I was surprised to hear about him playing."

 **[It's also why I'm sitting this one out. He says I'm either an unfair advantage at best, and an unnecessary distraction at worst. Can you believe that?]** Mona huffed.

"And yet he still takes you to school with him," Sadayo was quick to point out.

 **[That's different! It's more convenient if the group meets up after school. And besides,** _ **Lady Ann**_ **is there!]**

"'Lady Ann?' Do you mean Takamaki-chan?" Sadayo blinked, confused. Especially since Mona made an effort to write 'Lady Ann' neatly.

Purring and meowing happily, it was obvious that it was Mona's turn to daydream. Whatever those are, she probably wasn't going to find out today. But there was something else on her mind, and she was willing to keep her thoughts busy rather than go back to worrying about the date.

"Anyway, going back to what you mentioned about him doing shogi because it helps with your Phantom Thief stuff? Are those other jobs — hey, Mona!"

Morgana quickly snapped out of his haze, turning to Sadayo with a clear question on his furry face.

Sadayo just sighed and continued, "Like the stuff with that politician, Yoshida-san, then Takemi's clinic, and the flower shop. Are all those related to the Phantom Thieves?" Sadayo crossed her arms pensively, doing her best to remember all the other weird jobs she remembered Akira mentioning; she should sit him down and ask him to show her a complete list of his suspicious employers. "I can guess that Iwai's stuff is also related. It would explain the model guns and the other props. I'm guessing you use them to scare off people? They do look real after all."

 **[The flower shop doesn't have anything to do with our job as Phantom Thieves. Originally he went there to get some extra cash, but at this point he says he finds it relaxing. One time he worked at a convenience store because he wanted to do something that reminded him of his home. He used to work at a beef bowl shop, but we haven't gone over there in a while. Then of course there's job with the Chief.]**

"The chief?"

 **[Sojiro Sakura]**

"Oh, you mean his work downstairs," Sadayo cheerfully responded, fetching a pair of recognizable plaid pants from the pile. "He seems to have really taken a shine to it."

Mona nodded. **[He and the Chief have been getting along quite well lately. Aside from Joker's help in the cafe, I think that not having to hide Futaba anymore has helped them bond.]**

"Does he know about what you guys do? I mean you went to help his daughter after all."

 **[He doesn't. If he knew, it would mean he's willingly harboring a fugitive. Joker would rather avoid causing any trouble for the Chief if he can avoid it. Besides, even with good intentions, we stole his daughter's heart. Joker's worried about how the Chief would take it if he ever found out.]**

"He really cares about how Sakura-san thinks of him, doesn't he?" Sadayo thought back to one of their nights together, and how pleased Akira was when one of his created brews was finally added by Sakura-san on the menu, even if it was temporary.

 **[They may push each other's buttons at times, but Joker is more than grateful to the Chief for taking him in. He was the most determined to help Futaba when we found out what was going on.]**

"A meddler 'til the end," Sadayo smiled. Her admiration for Akira's desire to help others grew even fonder... even if it gets him into trouble sometimes.

 **[But back to the question at hand. Joker usually meets up with people that help us with our phantom thieving, though a few of them don't know it.]**

Sadayo thought back to the number of individuals she found to be connected to Akira, wondering how many and which are aware of his double life. Though without direct confirmation, it was useless to guess. Besides, she was done with the laundry; time for a break. She pushed the neat piles of clothes further into the bed and turned towards Morgana with a slight bow. "Anyway, thank you for taking the effort to explain all of that for me. I know Akira can handle himself, but sometimes I worry."

 **[You're welcome!]** Morgana meowed happily. **[Speaking of worried. How are you holding up?]**

"Holding… up?"

 **[You and Joker are going on a date tomorrow aren't you?]**

"H-he told you about that?" Sadayo flinched back nervously.

 **[Not so much told me as I overheard him.]**

Sadayo sighed, turning her eyes away from Morgana. "I honestly don't know. We've talked to each other outside, but it's minor stuff like walking along the streets or running into him. We've never done anything that could be considered more intimate in public."

Dread swelled once more, like a wave threatening to crash over her. She gripped the ribbon on her chest. "What if we screw up? If we get caught, how would we—"

Loud taps and meows interrupted her spiral, prompting Sadayo to look back at her conversation partner. Catching her gaze with unnatural blue eyes, Mona only began to write when her entire attention was on him.

 **[Trust me, you're not the only one. The reason why I overheard Joker was because he's been looking into things. He may not show it, but he's putting a lot of thought into this — way too much thought if you ask me. Had a hard time getting his attention at times.]**

Sadayo had to admit that hearing Akira was just as cautious did put her a bit at ease. It helped to know that she wasn't the only one putting a lot of thought into this. Though it didn't fully quell her worries about their date or their relationship.

 **[Remember, he was the idiot that decided to confess to you. He is fully aware of how serious things are.]**

Mona then dropped the pen, moving his jaw like he was moving… stretching it?

' _Having to write all of that must have been very tiring for him.'_ Sadayo thought, deciding to place her hands under his chin. He hesitated at first, but after a few scratches and squeezes he was more than happy to comply as he began to purr.

Sadayo giggled at the glazed cat, happy that he was enjoying the massage. She was grateful to him for keeping her company, cooperating to answer her questions, and attempting to cheer her. It had taken her a bit of adjusting after finding out that he can talk, but in the end, she was a cat person, and Mona still acted like a cat despite his intelligence. If he complained, she'd stop, but for now, Sadayo let her desire to treat him overwrite her awkwardness of knowing the truth about him.

' _He may talk big, but when all is said, I just can't help but look at him like a special cat.'_

"Thank you Mona."

She chuckled at the responding meow, figuring it was a simple "you're welcome". The cat slumped on the mattress, bonelessly pleased.

Sadayo took the pad, staring at the jagged scribbles. She was both amused and grateful for his last message and knew that he meant well, but…

Her fingers went to the leather jacket on top of the nearest pile, reminding her of Takemi and what the doctor had asked her. Yes, Akira was the one that confessed and stubbornly went after her...

"But in the end, I'm the crazy one that accepted his feelings..."

* * *

"Come forth my golden phoenix! Decimate my enemies into ashes and show the error of their folly!"

With a triumphant shout, fingers swiftly slammed a wooden piece on the battlefield. The deathknell echoed and rang through the heavens, an end to an arduous struggle.

"...And check! Thank you so much for playing."

Akira merely blinked, inwardly marvelling again at the transformation of Her Imperial Resplendent Majesty Queen Togo back to polite high schooler; she'd probably make a good Phantom Thief with her dual personality. But he didn't say that and instead numbly stared back at his side of the board.

Zero pieces left. Another loss to the current tally of zero-to-ten. Maybe Hifumi's habit has grown on him, but he could easily imagine a giant burnt crater where his forces last stood.

"Umm… If I may ask, is everything alright?" the previously-ferocious opponent asked, now concerned for her former enemy.

Akira chuckled dishearteningly. "I'm fine. Honestly, I just can't keep up with you tonight."

"I'll say. I've never seen you play so sloppily," Hifumi placed a hand on her chin, halfway back to being an imposing queen. "You constantly misplayed and lost unnecessary pieces. You left yourself wide open on several occasions, and we ended up having several short games when usually we do two decent ones. There were times where I purposely did risky maneuvers and you never capitalized on those instances. I would say you play like a novice, but honestly I feel you played worse than our first match."

"Kick a man while he's down, will ya?" Akira scratched the back of his head, still reeling from the rapid heavy blows to his ego.

"O-oh! I'm sorry," Hifumi said, wide-eyed.

"It's fine…" Akira shrugged. "It's probably for the best that you're honest with me. I won't learn otherwise."

"I just meant to say that your plays are more different than normal," Hifumi clarified, furrowing her brows in displeasure. "Though your habit of playing until the end continues to be a problem."

"I just don't like the concept of giving up without a fight," Akira responded, careful not to direct his frustration to her; she didn't know he was projecting life-and-death battles to their games, after all. "I'd rather die standing up than lie down and take it."

"While that's an admirable stance, things are different here." Hifumi pointed to the pieces in her possession. "Many of your soldiers died because of your inability to accept defeat. While I understand that sort of drive when you are able to retaliate and grasp victory, there are times where the forces against you are too big to face off. In those instances, you as the ruler must make the choice to reduce the casualty of your followers. Please consider that the next time we play a match."

"I guess that's only fair," Akira sighed, begrudgingly accepting his shogi master's advice. He placed his hands on his knees and bowed from his seat. "I apologize for my failure to provide an appropriate challenge tonight."

"That's fine," Hifumi nodded, accepting his antics of formality. Despite her critique, she seemed surprisingly pleased. "And… I feel like I really got to play a match against the real you."

"The real me?" Akira blinked.

"How do I say this..." Hifumi pondered. "When we first played, your behavior was polite, but your plays were rigid and full of uncertainties. Now, you're more… crude? Not to mention all the mistakes you made."

"Yes, yes. I get it, I sucked today," Akira slumped.

Hifumi giggled, then continued. "But despite those mistakes, you had little hesitation in your actions. Not to mention, your plays are quite unorthodox; if you fully thought things through, you could've capitalized on their unpredictability." She studied the board, most likely inspired by new ideas for plays and maneuvers. "In other words, if you were more focused, I think it would had gone differently."

"That's kind of you to say, but I don't think I'm close to beating you," Akira chuckled. "My thoughts have just been preoccupied with something I've been planning for recently. When you messaged me for a game I had hoped that it'll let me clear my thoughts a bit, but it seems I've only let my men suffer. Sorry about that."

Hifumi smiled. "Don't be. I myself go to shogi whenever I feel lost or confused, so I can't blame you for trying that." She then clapped her hands in excitement. "I know! There is this old secondhand bookstore that I go to. Maybe playing can't help, but I remembered that there are books about shogi that might work as distractions, plus they can assist and add more finesse to your moves."

"Sure, but we shouldn't stay too long."

"Oh, are you not permitted to stay up late?" Hifumi asked, curious.

"Nothing like that. I just have a busy day tomorrow." Akira placed his hand in his pockets, feeling the slips of paper that he had recently acquired.

' _And someone who's waiting for me back home.'_

* * *

"Shoot, I'm late! I'm so late! Why did it have to rain so badly today?!" Sadayo cursed her luck as she ran from the crowded Ueno station through the pouring rain, umbrella in hand, wondering if Akira was still waiting for her.

When Akira had come back to Leblanc the night before, he brought up the idea of going to a museum for their first date and handed her a ticket for a light exhibit that can only be seen at night. During that time, the lights were supposed to be dimmed, so they wouldn't have to worry so much about the crowds.

Akira was so certain and carefree that Sadayo had started to doubt Morgana's claims. If Akira was indeed worried, he was darn good at hiding it, which admittedly frustrated her. But he did seem to have a plan, so she decided to go along with it.

Sadly, things already had begun rocky as she arrived thirty minutes late. Not because of the pouring rain, though it didn't help, but because... she was stuck debating what she wanted to wear.

Sadayo had stood in front of the wardrobe after her shower. As she examined her options, a word kept humming over and over in her head. _Date..._

This was their first date, her first proper date in years. A part of her was excited at the prospect, curious about what Akira had planned for them. But most of her was filled with panic and doubt. Having the same repeated thoughts looping in her mind.

 _'What if he finds the stress of getting caught is too annoying for him and he decides to dump me tonight? What if—'_

"Come on Sadayo, get it together!" she had slapped herself. "Akira wouldn't do that — you know he wouldn't! Things will be fine! It's not like you've never dated before, probably way more than he had… right? I mean, he's still young, he probably doesn't have that many girls to compare you to… Other than Takamaki-chan, Niijima-san, Takemi..."

Doing her best to stop her thoughts from digging herself deeper, Sadayo tried hard to recollect on her past experiences to remember what she used to do when she was younger. Mixers had been her hope of meeting someone, where she tried dressing up to catch guys' attention but ended fumbling it on many occasions. Searching in her wardrobe, she saw the blue cocktail dress she used to wear and pulled it out. Paired with jewelry that she had unfortunately sold off, it had been her instant attention-grabber, but now she was embarrassed at how body-conscious it was, especially with the risky slit on the side.

"I can't believe I used to wear something like this. I was definitely bold back then," Sadayo had sighed, lifting the dress in front of her and looked at the mirror. "Would it even fit me now?" A warm streak suddenly bloomed on her cheeks before she jerked the dress away. "N-not that I was thinking of wearing this for tonight. It's probably too much for me to wear something like this in a museum, and if Akira saw me…"

Her mind had gone to her boyfriend while her arm slowly brought the dress back in front of her. "Knowing him, he'd probably compliment me with that ever-confident and sure smile of his. Even if I refused and disagreed, he'd more than likely try to do something to show he wasn't joking. Something like… something like…" Her face turned full red as she swallowed her words. "Yeah… way too soon for this."

Sadayo had hastily put the dress back into the wardrobe. After hemming and hawing, she ended up wearing her usual yellow shirt and denim jeans with her blazer being the only real change, and even that wasn't all that different from what she wore at school.

By the time she finally reached the station she had made a mad dash, worrying about how long Akira must've been waiting outside in this weather. But at the entrance of the museum, she saw no signs of her boyfriend anywhere. In that moment, her phone began to vibrate.

 **[A]:** I'm already inside because of the rain  
 **[A]:** Go on in, we'll meet there. When you see me, act like you weren't expecting me.

Sadayo could just hear the cockiness from his message. She sighed, both from relief and disbelief at how calm he was about the whole thing. Putting her phone away, Sadayo squared her sight to the museum entrance, butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

' _What in the world could he be thinking?'_ Sadayo questioned. With a deep breath, she went inside the Ueno Metropolitan Art Museum.

The main room of the museum was an open area from where she could see many branching floors housing all sorts of exhibit. She had come here a couple of times before, but the museum always rotated exhibits every few months, so she didn't recognize any of the current artworks. It was all very pretty, but Sadayo's interest was for something else.

' _Now that I think about it, he didn't specify where exactly we were supposed to meet—'_

"Sensei? Is that you?"

Sadayo flinched before turning back, certain of who it was. Considering all the times he'd snuck up on her, she was starting to get used to it, though she wasn't ready to see that as a good thing.

And sure enough, there was Akira. His wardrobe was thankfully just as casual as hers, wearing the same set up he'd worn during their fishing encounter and his hospital visit. Sadayo expected him to sport his standard confident smile, but instead it was the same expression he had when he saved her from Ms. Chouno all those months ago. A small hint of a smirk did slipped out from Akira when he noticed her pout. "I didn't expect to see you outside of school, sensei. What brings you here?"  
 _  
_' _So that was what he had In mind.'_ Sadayo realized with a raised brow. ' _Seems a bit elaborate, but he is the guy who's avoided the police so far.'_ She waved the ticket still in her hand, marked at the entrance. Unless someone studied it, no one would know that her ticket number has a one-number difference from Akira's and was purchased at the same time as his. "There is this light exhibit that they're doing here and can only be seen at night. It sounded interesting and I found myself with some free time, so I decided to take a look."

"Same here. A friend of mine told me that it's actually quite breathtaking." Akira revealed his own ticket, acting like this wasn't planned. "Though the show isn't for another couple of hours."

"Is that so? Guess I'll see you at the exhibit. Enjoy your visit," Sadayo replied with an impish smile before walking away.

"W-wait!"

Doing her best not to break out into chuckles at Akira's fumbling cockiness, Sadayo turned back to him with an unsure expression. "Is there something you need, Kurusu-kun?"

"Well, you see… the thing is..."

While Akira tried to come up with a reason for them to spend time together, Sadayo could finally see the nervousness underneath his shattered veneer of confidence. ' _I guess what Mona said was true after all,'_ she thought to herself, relieved than she should be about this.

Suddenly, Akira lit up. "Well, I heard that they have a special exhibit tonight concerning history and stories. You said you had some free time, so if it's okay with you, I would like to hear your thoughts on them."

"I'm surprised you're interested in hearing what someone like me would think."

"I really am. The way you view the story of the bamboo cutter was really eye-opening. It really caught my attention," Akira frankly said.

"R-really?" The surprised words tumbled from Sadayo's lips. She could tell that her boyfriend was genuinely speaking as an interested student, and she tried her best not to blush, though unsuccessful. "I'm really not that good."

She could have easily taken his offer after he asked her to accompany her, but after all the stress she had been dealing with the school and volleyball teams and now getting stuck in this little roleplay session, Sadayo couldn't help but fish for compliments.

"I disagree," Akira shook his head. "I really enjoy your classes. You do a really good job of teaching the subject in a relatable manner. It makes class more interesting." Something about his smile was different to the one he had earlier; it felt gentler, warmer, more genuine.

"Flatterer," Sadayo mumbled to herself.

Akira snickered without losing his warmth.

Sadayo rolled her eyes, sighing despite her smile. "Fine, I guess it's very admirable that you wish to continue learning even during summer. So who am I as your teacher to impede that drive?" She straightened, clearing her throat as if to get into her role. It was a strange feeling; for many years she had gotten used to play the role of Becky the maid, but for tonight, she had to play the role of Sadayo the teacher. "Okay, consider this an extracurricular lesson to enhance your education. You are my responsibility after all."

"I look forward to it," Akira nodded before walking beside her. His voice lowered to a whisper, "But really... did you have to string me along like that?"

"Hey, it had to be believable after all," Sadayo remarked airily, doing her best not to laugh.

Akira snorted before he sobered. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm... actually feeling okay right now." Silly roleplaying aside, it and Akira's compliments surprisingly had done the job. She turned to Akira with a beam. "Lead the way!"

For a while, they wandered the first floor of the museum. Akira made sure to use his Third Eye to check for recognizable individuals — something he prepared for by memorizing the student yearbook. There was a small dilemma about collecting info on the first years and the faculty that wouldn't show on the yearbook, but he figured it out with the help of Makoto.

Not surprising from the daughter of a detective, she had seemed suspicious about why he was looking for those info. Thankfully he was able to rationalize it as " _just in case any Mementos request involving Shujin occurs during the summer"._

It was hard work and a lot of late night reviewing and quadruple checking that Mona had teased him that he put more effort in this than exams, but right here, right now, it was all worth it. Akira smiled at his girlfriend, having some difficulty to peel his eyes from her to check their surroundings.

Sadayo was so full of life, bouncing from topic to topic. At first, he only asked her simple questions at her behest, but as they progressed deeper into the museum, the light in Sadayo's eyes become brighter and brighter.

Akira was relieved to see Sadayo enjoying herself, especially with how scared she was when they talked about the app. Tonight, slowly confidence graced her, and with each new subject, her lessons became more lively, more filled with little factoids as she lost herself into the topic. For his part, Akira watched and listened, injecting teasing between reflective comments, generally content to let Sadayo swirl with enthusiastic energy.

He could definitely say that the role of a teacher suited her perfectly.

It was something that he had noticed about her for some time now. Especially during those nights he'd request her simply to let her relax when she was still officially working as a maid. Sometimes he'd be doing some homework involving a particular story while she worked on folding the laundry. She had originally told him that he can't ask her any questions, but one time, he had been thinking out loud to himself and Sadayo perked with interest. Soon enough she was talking about her thoughts on the story and how she was really caught up in the character's struggles and how they represented certain stages of youth. Of course like clockwork, as soon as she realized what she had done, she'd self-deprecate herself for how old she was and how she messed up again by discussing things with him.

It was sporadic, but it was another side of Sadayo he enjoying seeing, and one of the reasons why he'd picked the museum. But there was one more reason, and if he wanted them to enjoy their time before the light exhibit, he needed to act now.

"Strange as it may seem, stories about interspecies marriage are actually quite common in our past," Sadayo was saying, "but unlike similar stories in the west, where the creature that was originally human or vice versa tend to be turned back by the start of the relationship, ours tend to have the two get married and be together for a long time. The creature would be transformed or disguising themselves into a human, usually a female, and sometimes even have kids." Sadayo crossed her arms, deep in her speculations. "When you think about it, it's no wonder we have stuff like girls with cat or fox ears. Many of those stories end with the lovers separating when the nonhuman's identity is found out, but in the modern era, I can see many of those stories ending differently."

' _She's talking about romance again,'_ Akira thought to himself with a chuckle.

Another thing that he'd begun to notice is how much she enjoyed talking about romance. Whenever a topic strayed towards romance, her eyes would light up while her voice would become slightly dreamy — a hopeless romantic, most likely. Not that he wasn't any different himself. Part of him was tempted to ask if she had read any books by Airi Himura, but he decided to leave that topic for another time.

"Sensei," Akira spoke up when Sadayo began muttering under her breath.

Sadayo paused, realizing that she had been rambling, nearly discussing the gender differences of marriage proposals to a highschooler. Her cheeks reddened. "O-oh, sorry, I guess I kind of went a little overboard there. I'm sure you're not really interested in hearing about stuff like that."

"It's nothing like that. You're very cute when you get all caught up like that." Akira knew he didn't have to drop the cute line there, but he couldn't help but enjoy her flustered. Unfortunately he needed to cut her entertaining stutters and protests short. "There is one exhibit I want to hear your thoughts on. If you don't mind following me?"

With Sadayo's curious nod, Akira led the way. To get to the elevator, they had to cut through the amateur section, where the works of talented beginners, mostly students, were displayed. The highlight of the museum was in the 4th floor, but Akira's goal was on the 3rd floor.

"Oh, wow… look at that one."

Akira turned just in time to see Sadayo dart to a corner of the room. While he wanted to get to the other exhibit, he was curious at what had drawn Sadayo's attention. When he saw it, he couldn't help but smirk at his girlfriend's amazement.

"This one is really crazy, like the colors are exploding and pops out to you. It's kind of... scary, but also beautiful." Sadayo went to the painting's plaque for information. " _Desire and Hope_ … by Yusuke Kitagawa?" She whipped towards Akira, shocked. "Wait, isn't that—"

Akira chuckled at the expression on his girlfriend's face. "Yep. Recently he won a contest. He refused the reward, but he was more than willing to have his work get displayed. I actually forgot it was going to be here."

"Wait," Sadayo realized, "if his painting is here, doesn't that mean he would also—"

"It's fine," Akira cut off her impending panic, "I talked to him a few days back and he said he was going to the park to search for some inspiration. Knowing him, we should be safe."

"If you say so…" Sadayo exhaled, still a bit nervous, but willing to take Akira's word for it. "But then why would he refuse the offer? Was the deal not good? Was something sketchy about it?" she asked in worry and disbelief. The years of having to penny-pinch to make ends meet made her incredulous at the prospect of refusing money for no reason.

"Nothing like that," Akira replied, amused. "While the one in charge of the contest had us going for a while, he was genuine enough." Akira turned towards the painting, reflecting on what he, Yusuke, and Mr. Kawanabe had talked about a week ago. "Yusuke didn't want himself to be tainted by desire. He said he didn't need that because he has his hope."

"What do you mean…?"

"This piece is Yusuke's interpretation of humanity." Akira sighed. Solemn, he clenched a fist. "It's hard to explain, but we constantly see the worst of people when we go to the Metaverse. Individuals who have forsaken others for their own selfish gains, the willingness to trample the weak for their petty reasons. How little they care for people's well-being. All tainted visages of one's desire..."

The dark expression on his face reminded Sadayo of how Ryuji looked like when he talked to her and oh-so easily confirmed to her that he was also a Phantom Thief. But unlike Ryuji's serious expression, Akira's was much more intense, rage-filled. Whatever it was that her students had gotten involved in, she figured that it was taxing in more ways than one. Something that she still didn't fully grasp, and part of her feared she never truly would, no matter how much Akira told her.

Sadayo's hand began to reach out to him, yet easily retracted as she began to worry about someone seeing them. But her boyfriend was staring hard at the painting, brows furrowed in frustration and pain, and she was reminded of how despite everything, he always reached out to her, even when she pushed him back.

Remembering the promise she had made to him, she pushed those fears as she placed her hands over his.

Akira startled, then looked down. Though her smile betrayed how nervous she was, her touch was warm on his fist.

She gave him a firm but gentle squeeze. "Hey, it's okay."

It wasn't safe, but Akira let her open his hand, her comfort melting his frustration away. Still, he checked the room with his Third Eye, just to be sure. His hand squeezed back, thumbing her hand gently.

"Be that as it may," he continued, "one of the things that we have to remember is that desire itself isn't inherently bad. After all, desire is what allows us to find the motivation to continue on living. Eat, sleep… falling in love."

Heart skipping, Sadayo could feel warmth envelop her whole self at the gentle look he sent her way.

"When Yusuke is talking about hope, he's talking about those close to us. We know that no matter what, we have each other's backs. If one of us ever falls, we will help them get back on their feet. As he put it himself, ' _If I stray away they will scold me and help me get back on track. I know I can do my best because I know I'm not alone.'_ And that includes you as well."

Sadayo was left speechless.

"You're my hope," Akira smiled, holding her hand tightly. "Knowing that I have you to come home to motivates me even more to make sure that I make it back. You've already been there for me when I needed someone to stand up for me and you've helped me realize things that I hadn't before. So I want to be your hope as well."

"Kurusu-kun..." Sadayo could feel her cheeks burn bright red and pulled her hand away, unable to look at him directly anymore. But she did shuffle closer, hoping to hide her colored cheeks from the crowd. ' _Where did he learn to talk like that. Be my hope… doesn't he know he already is?_

She didn't have to turn to Akira to know that he was sporting that darn smile of his. She wasn't as bold as he is, so all she did was nod. _`You're more than just my hope…'_

Akira hid his hands in his pockets, happy to see his girlfriend happy. He'd do more than words if it wasn't for the venue. He took one last glance at his friend's painting before inclining his head towards their original destination. "Come on. We still have a lot to see before the light display."

"Sure..." Sadayo replied, doing her best to regain her composure as she followed Akira.

The elevator was more stressful than it should have been. Crammed between other museum visitors, to be so close in a tiny space made the couple more self-conscious than ever. As they exited at the 3rd floor with red faces, they both agreed to take the stairs for the rest of the night. Akira seemed determined to show her something, which had Sadayo a bit suspicious, regretting at not looking at the itinerary in advance.

Then they reached a pathway with arching fake cherry blossom trees, a green carpet beginning from underneath it. Akira turned towards her and nudged his head to the entrance.

"We're here."

Sadayo raised her brows at the title on the stand banner. " _Love Stories of Old Japan_...?"

"Your eyes always light up when you talk about stories involving love and romance, so I figured you'd appreciate this exhibit. I know you probably know most of these, and I've read a few myself, but with all that you've been dealing with I figured you'd like something a bit more uplifting."

Knowing Akira, Sadayo was certain that he was expecting her to be surprised and moved by his gesture. And to his credit she was. One of her talks with her mother was about her daughter's love for such things, citing them to be a bit childish and how Sadayo's previous relationships would rather do something else than join her in one of her viewings or discussions.

And yet here was Akira, putting the effort to share her interest. With her crappy week of coaching the volleyball team and her worries about their relationship, she was grateful for the lengths he went to cheer her up. Still, knowing what she knew, Sadayo could only stare at her boyfriend.

"Is everything okay?" Akira blinked in confusion.

"Yeah, everything's fine, but..." Sadayo hesitated, wondering what was the best way to break the news before letting out a sigh. "Kurusu-kun, which stories have you read exactly...?"

"Well, I read a few compilations that my mother had on her for—"

"No, I mean like, modern or classic renditions?" Sadayo interjected.

Akira just stood there blinking, unsure how to answer. "Is… there a difference?"

"Oh geez…" Sadayo exhaled, signaling Akira to follow her in. "It's probably best that I show you."

* * *

Halfway through the surprisingly long exhibit, Akira and Sadayo found themselves taking a breather on one of the benches. Drained and confused, Akira sagged on the metal seat, perplexed and somewhat irked by his girlfriend's amusement.

"Well…" Akira exhaled, staring at the floor, still trying to process the impromptu awakening, "that was..."

"Depressing? Dark? Morbid?" Sadayo finished, doing her best not to laugh.

"I mean, monstrous wives, tragic partings, painful deaths… Are you sure these are love stories?"

Sadayo gave in to her impulse; her laughter rang in the half-empty room, turning some heads, but it felt too good as a stress-release. Eventually she managed to say, "Despite the topic at hand, tragedy was the most common method of telling a story back then. Whether it was to teach people a lesson, warn them about danger, or to just touch their hearts, pain and suffering tend to be the easiest way to reach people, and that goes for even love stories back then. It was only until later on that happy endings began to become more popular."

Perplexed, Akira raised his head towards her. "You're enjoying this more than I thought you would, especially after finding out what the exhibit was actually about." His raised brows furrowed. "Please don't tell me you're a tragedy nut."

"Hey!" Sadayo blushed and huffed, not really offended. "I'll have you know that I thoroughly enjoy and prefer the modern, happier iterations of these stories, thank you very much." She leaned back on her seat, stretching her legs. "I know all too well how life can feel very bleak and lonely. It's a bit childish and silly, but I really like it when things turn out well for the characters, because when I was on my own, those happy endings kept me going when things felt so impossible. They made me hope that maybe… maybe I'd find someone. Even if it was just wishful thinking" Sadayo turned to Akira before shaking her head. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have brought that up and—"

"Trust me, I don't think it's silly at all," Akira interjected, lacking any hint of teasing or sarcasm, placing his hand on top of hers.

Sadayo smiled, relieved that Akira didn't think her odd. "Oh, but as much as I prefer the happier stories, I still really enjoy reading their original iterations. It's kind of interesting to see how things were written back then. Though I admit I was just as shocked as you when I first found out about it."

Embarrassed, Sadayo scratched her cheek, before turning to observe the surrounding artworks. Many items of the exhibit where in mixed media, combining paintings and sculptures in different ways to show various interpretations per story; some tales even have multiple entries from the same artist.

"But as time moves forward and people change," she continued, "so does our language and stories. Words change meaning, and characters change to fit with the current viewpoint of the public. But I think it's important to never forget where we started, I like how those stories originated, because it allows us to see how they changed with society. And how we grew to be as we are today."

"Is that why you decided to be a Japanese teacher?" Akira asked, sitting up from his slump. "The way you sounded right now… you kind of feel like a history teacher."

"I will admit History was an option," Sadayo nodded. "I grew up in Kochi which has its fair share of historical locations. Particularly Kochi Castle, which I used to visit as a kid a lot. Not to mention, my dad was a history teacher."

"You said he got into debates," Akira recalled their talk from the hospital.

Sadayo smiled, pleased that he remembered that little tidbit. "Yep, about how the morals before compared to today. Part of me wanted to follow in his footsteps, but in the end, I was just too interested in our literature, especially when it comes with discussing things with students. I remember how things were during my first year in teaching… before the rumors started with Takase-kun.

Akira surreptitiously squeezed her hand on the bench.

Drawing strength, Sadayo continued, "Being able to discuss the themes of the story with my students, finding how to help them engage with it and be able to relate to the characters... I really missed that part of being a teacher." She smiled at Akira, soft but full of joy. "And it's because of you that I was finally able to make up my mind up and continue on despite the stuff I went through. You helped remind me in so many ways why I love teaching… and I'll always be grateful to you for that."

This time, it was Akira's turn to blush, speechless.

Sadayo chuckled; she always found it cute when he lost his cool and acted bashful. It ignited a small mischievous spark in her that made her want to tease him back, but she held off, still uncomfortable doing something like that in public. She stood up with a long, invigorating stretch before turning to Akira in full spirits. "Well then, are you ready to continue with the lesson?"

Akira's confident smile returned as he stood up as well. "Lead the way, sensei."

"Of course, leave it to me!" Sadayo pumped her first. She led the way, turning a corner. Then she halted.

"Hey, what's up?" Akira asked from behind.

Stunned, Sadayo's eyes focused on the photo of a familiar bridge, one she had walked past many times in her childhood. ' _Right… I guess that would be here as well."_

"Huh, that's quite a small bridge." Akira walked past her, perplexed at the simple photo's profound effect on his girlfriend. He read out loud the informational plate below the picture. "' _The Harimaya bridge is a 20-meter-long bridge and is known to be one of Kochi's most popular sightseeing spots.'_ Huh, so this is from your hometown then, sensei?"

Sadayo didn't say a word as Akira continued to read.

"'It came to symbolize love because of an ill-fated affair involving a monk named Jushin and a tinker's daughter named Ouma. Despite the fact that they loved each other, their relationship was considered to be—"

"Indecent," Sadayo finished quietly. "Monks of his sect were forbidden to fall in love, but despite that, Junshin let his emotions overcome his vows of a solitary life. They tried to hide it, but eventually, rumors started to spread after witnesses saw him buying a hairpin at a shop nearby."

"Sensei…?"

Sadayo gripped her arms as she continued on, not even reading the plate. "Eventually, their relationship was found out, leading both to be banished from the village."

"Kawaka—"

"W-we should be heading out!" Sadayo burst, "The light exhibit should be starting soon."

Akira came closer, clearly worried about her, but as his hand reached out Sadayo pulled away.

"I-I'll go on ahead. I guess I'll see you there." Sadayo dashed out of there, willfully ignoring the way Akira's expression fell.

She needed to get away from him.

Sadayo ran up the stairs to the fourth floor, cursing herself the whole way for her cowardice.

' _How could I have been so dumb? Some teacher I am...'_

She said it herself, many of these stories were done to warn others, and this one in particular was close to her heart. She was reminded of it every time that she walked on the bridge. Every year when she had lived in Kochi, she would dance to the songs based on it during the Yosakoi festival, which would actually be going on right about now, now that she thought about it.

The songs and dances celebrate the banishing — which she always found odd — of Jushin and Ouma because they loved one another. The bridge itself appears in a lot of romance movies, prompting a sense of patriotic pride because a part of her hometown was on the screen. Back in highschool she even gushed and wondered if she would ever manage to someday show up during one of those film shoots.

But now, it had brought her crashing back to cold reality.

No matter how hard they try to hide their relationship, all it would take was one rumor, one overheard or noticed moment and it would spread like wildfire. It would bring questions, possible investigations, and it would probably end with both of them being taken away.

She knew this, experienced first hand how easy it was for rumors to spread with so little information, how much damage they could do in so little time. This was especially true at Shujin. While she never even thought about that kind of relationship with Takase-kun, it was different with Akira. There would be evidence; the teachers are all being carefully watched, he has a criminal record which has the whole school gossiping.

One small rumor was all it took to find out that they are together.

Many stories change over time, but the story of the Harimaya Bridge never did. They always fell in love, they always tried to hide it, they always get caught… and they always get punished. Sadayo clutched the lapel of her blazer close to her chest, pained at the familiar feeling she had felt not too long ago, no thanks to her troublesome student. It was the pain she had felt at the realization that she might just have to give him up.

Sadayo reached the entrance to the light exhibit and promptly handed her ticket. She quickly dove inside, trying to hide among the existing visitors and dimmed lights. Unobtrusively, she made her way to the far back of the room. A disappointed sigh escaped her as she leaned against the wall, tempted to just slump down to the floor, but decided against it.

"Hey."

Sadayo startled. From the direction she had come from, Akira was slowly walking towards her, stopping a polite distance away. He probably followed her when she bolted out, or at least, headed straight to the exhibit and found her using that "super sense" of his. Of course he'd have followed her, with the way she fled there was no way he wouldn't be worried. The warmth that swelled at this realization simultaneously pleased and sickened her, especially with the fact that he was still keeping his distance to give her some space.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, it's not okay." Sadayo lowered her head in shame, "I shouldn't have run off like that, but being reminded of that story kind of brought back a lot of fears. I'm really—"

Akira gently grabbed her hand.

' _He's really good at this,'_ a part of Sadayo thought when she belatedly realized how close Akira had managed to get to her without any warning. The rest of her was focused on the warmth of his hand. Firm, but not tight; Sadayo felt that if she actually pulled away, he would let her.

The reassurance and freedom to withdraw made her hand shift into his. With the dim lights, she felt more than saw his palm opening as their fingers pressed against each other. His hands were bigger than hers, but just as rough, dotted with small nicks and callouses that can only be learned by mapping them thoroughly. These hands had power, capable of combat and stealing hearts, but they always treated her with gentle acceptance. His fingers let hers move slightly to the side, allowing them to interweave with his.

Sadayo knew she shouldn't be doing this. Even if the room was dimmed, someone could spot them, but as much as she could rationalize why she should break things off, she just couldn't bear to lose him.

"I'm sorry…" Akira spoke, his guilt quietly obvious. "We were probably not ready to go outside, and yet I pushed for us to do this. I should have been more considerate. I even messed up with that exhibit."

Sadayo hated to see him feel so bad, especially when it wasn't his fault. "Please don't be. You did nothing wrong. You went and put so much effort into making sure things went well, and it was. We were having a good time, but then I just panicked and second-guessed things again and ran away." She closed her eyes, tired. "I act like I want to change and make a difference, but the moment there's even a hint of things going down, I back off and run away. It's no wonder those girls don't respect me. I can't even stand up to them."

"That's not true," Akira disagreed. "You're a lot stronger than you think you are. I mean, you didn't back away when I was in trouble." His hand give hers a squeeze, gently caressing it. "And I know you can do it for others. You just need to believe that you can."

Holding her was a small gesture, yet Sadayo appreciated it. But the adult in her reminded her of how many times life had been so cruel to her, despite hoping for the best. "Sadly, sometimes believing isn't enough to make things real."

"Then we'll make sure they do, together. Remember, you're not alone. You have me."

His confident smile was a beacon in the dim room, and that was all it took for her. For some reason, whenever he said stuff like that with that smile of his, Sadayo felt like he was right. Despite how harsh reality can be, despite how difficult things would be for them, she felt that if Akira Kurusu said it was possible, then it was.

He really did have a grip on her, in more ways than one.

The lights then switched off and a voice announced the beginning of the exhibit. Music rose from speakers as special projectors lit the ceiling and walls to form pretty shapes and effects, swirling and shifting as they travelled through the whole room. Aptly, Sadayo couldn't help but be reminded of that night that they'd become a couple. The fireworks had been beautiful in the night sky from Leblanc's window, and now a different set of rainbow colors washed over them.

Doubt still swirled about why he would want someone like her and she still felt nervous, but at least for now, she could forget about those things.

"Hey, Kurusu-kun?"

"Yeah?"

"...Do you really think I could be a good teacher?"

"I think you can be a great teacher," Akira answered without hesitation. The light reflected off his glasses, showing her that, even if she couldn't see his eyes, he was looking directly at her. "We just have to show the rest of the world how great you are."

Sadayo chuckled. By this point she wasn't fishing for compliments — she was begging for them. But despite her selfishness, hearing him say those words so confidently and with a straight face made her… happy.

Music swelled. The crowd oohed and ahhed. Under the cover of darkness and swirling lights, Sadayo shuffled closer, feeling her heartbeat thump contentedly as she leaned towards him, her head resting on his arm as she continued to hold on to his hand until the end of the show.

"Thank you."

* * *

Akira woke up to the smell of curry and coffee as sunlight lasered his retinas. With a groan, he hid his head under the pillow, a fruitless attempt to doze a bit longer.

The stuff with Medjed was on hold while Futaba was still out of commission. No one had contacted him to hang out or work. And lastly, it was still in the middle of summer vacation so school wasn't a concern. In short, he has plenty of time to do whatever he wanted.

But truth be told, all he wanted to do was just sleep and forget about how badly he messed up last night's date. He had hoped that getting Sadayo out of Leblanc and showing something she'd enjoy would help put her uncertainties at ease; instead she ended up fleeing from him and getting more worried.

' _How was I supposed to know that the exhibit would be so counterproductive?'_

Akira shook his head, trying to bury his head into the mattress. "You'd think with all the stuff I read I would've known about it. Guess mom has a preference."

Giving up on sleep but unwilling to leave the bed, his head stayed burrowed as his hand fumbled for his phone. Groaning his victory, Akira blearily peaked at the screen, thumbing the MetaNav. Why didn't he just put her name and show her? It would have solved everything. Instead, he complicated things and put Sadayo in an uncomfortable position.

But he knew why he didn't. He was scared as well.

He's certain that what they have is nothing wrong — nothing at all like what Kamoshida had tried to do to Ann — that their relationship was something genuine and mutual. But because Sadayo herself was doubtful, he couldn't help but falter.

Could those doubts become twisted? Would it affect Sadayo? Akira wasn't sure. A part of him was worried about what Sadayo would do if he clicked on it and there she was; he didn't want to lose her just because of some dumb app. And that fear, no matter how unlikely it was, had been enough for him to hesitate.

He got out of bed and prepared for the rest of the day. Downstairs, he went straight to the bathroom to freshen up, ignoring the cooking Sojiro and the eating Mona. Akira could swear that Sojiro spoiled the cat when no one's around, and part of him worried that Sadayo would be no different and cause Mona's already inflated ego to expand. Akira could only hope that finding out the truth about Mona's intelligence would quell her fondness a bit.

Once out of the bathroom, he took a seat at one of the stools and laid down his head directly on the counter. He tilted his head from the surface so his mouth can tiredly exhale, "Hey…."

From his angle, he could still see Sojiro raising an eyebrow before going back to his curry. "Date didn't go as you planned?"

Akira sprung from the counter, straight-backed and shocked like a deer in front of headlights.. "I-I'm not sure I know what you mean."

Sojiro let out an amused chuckle. "Come on kid, you can't hide it from me. I recognize that look anywhere. I've seen more guys than I can count come into my shop with that same expression. And it usually involves problems with the ladies." The infamous ladies' man of Yongen-Jaya prepared Leblanc's staples and placed them in front of Akira. "Here, eat up. It will make you feel better."

Akira sank back on his seat, chuckling in self-depreciation. "Why do I feel like I'm drowning my sorrows in curry and coffee?"

"You know what they say. A filled stomach is good for... something-something." Sojiro scratched his jaw. "Anyway, at least it won't get you in trouble."

Akira shrugged, refraining from commenting about the many things he is already doing that will get him in trouble. He took a bite of the freshly made curry, and a sip of the wonderfully-brewed coffee. With how often he ate this combination he'd think that he'd get tired of it, but nowadays he looked forward to his guardian's staple breakfast. It was also a good reminder that even with all his practice and experimenting, Sojiro was still the master.

"So, wanna talk about it?"

Akira took his time in chewing, honestly contemplating Sojiro's offer. He didn't want to risk giving any hints of Sadayo, but after last night's attempt, maybe asking someone with actual experience would help.

"I think we should be fine as long as we avoid anything that could identify Ms. Kawakami." Mona suddenly spoke from the floor, figuring out what he was thinking of.

Taking one more bite and sip to give himself more time and a bit more courage, Akira finally sighed. "I wanted to impress her. I put a lot of effort into planning things and made extra sure that it would work out." Memorizing the faces of the entire student AND teaching body of Shujin in particular was **HARD**. "But it all ended up falling on its face and made things awkward for her."

"Wow, you screwed up that bad?" Morgana responded with a mix of disappointment and awe.

Akira took his phone out, typing out a message from under the counter. Waiting until Sojiro has his back to him, Akira directed his screen to the cat without looking.

 **[Hush you]**

"I think I see what the problem is," Sojiro thoughtfully said, unaware of Morgana's huff. "You planned the whole thing out, but things obviously didn't go how you wanted them to."

"I guess?" Akira scratched his cheek in embarrassment as his other hand pocketed his phone.

"You can't plan for everything kid," Sojiro sagely said as he finished his next batch, turning back to the counter. "That's why it's best to just enjoy the time together and let things play out as they will." Sojiro looked pensive, stroking the small ruff of hair on his chin."Not that it's bad to have some things figured out ahead of time, but do too much of it and it's bound to fail."

Akira took heart in what was said. After all, it's how he preferred to do his Phantom Thief heists; having a plan, while being flexible to the Palace's strangeness. Maybe he had let his fear of ruining things with Sadayo get the best of him, becoming too rigid for his own good. Still… considering what would happen to either of them if they were caught, he figured he had some right to over-preparing.

"I'll think it over," Akira finally replied as he finished his breakfast. "Thanks for the advice."

"It's fine. After all, I'm still your guardian."

Akira smiled, though it quickly melted at his next question."How's Futaba doing?"

It was Sojiro's turn to deflate. "Still mostly sleeping. She's managed to wake up a bit to go to the bathroom, but she's more zombie than human. She doesn't even respond when I call out to her. Then again that's happened before whenever she pulls an all-nighter."

' _At least it's not an outright coma,'_ Akira thought as his head drooped, concerned and in disbelief that a human can sleep for so long. While the group had tried to do everything like their previous heists, none of them expected Futaba to enter her own Palace and the consequences afterwards.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Morgana spoke up again, able to guess the expression on his face. "I mean, from what we know about our two initial targets, those whose Treasures have been removed exhibit similar behaviors. It may be a bit more worrisome this time around, but all we can do for now is wait."

Akira knew that Morgana was probably trying to humor him, but he was right. There was no reason to stress out so much. All they can really do right now is wait. Shoulders loosening, he said to Sojiro,"Hey, do you need a hand for today?"

"If you're offering, then clean up and grab an apron. The morning customers should be coming soon."

Akira nodded and grabbed the empty plate and cup and walked around the counter.

"Hey."

Pausing, Akira turned back towards Sojiro's contemplative tone.

"About your date. Even when things didn't go exactly as you intended, it wasn't a complete mess, right?"

Placing the cup and plate on the sink, Akira thought back to last night. While he regretted how it led her to be even more self-conscious, he couldn't deny that there were moments he was quite happy about. How excited and full of life Sadayo had been when she talked about the exhibits and her reasons for teaching. How she had reached out to him when he felt his anger get the best of him. How she had leaned close to him and held hands during the light display. It may not have been perfect, but it was his first real date. The fact that it was shared with Sadayo made it irreplaceable, and those memories are something he'll always cherish.

Putting on his apron, Akira smiled.

"Yeah… it was fun."

* * *

"It was horrible! I can't believe I screwed up so badly!" Sadayo cried out. "And after all that Kurusu-kun did to make sure we could actually go out! I know he did it because he was worried about me, but in the end I just flaked out on him."

"Okay… While I'm sorry to hear that, I was looking more of a medical answer when I asked you about how you were doing?" Takemi slowly replied, stunned at the out-of-nowhere infodump.

"I-I'm sorry…" Sadayo apologized, pressing her index fingers against each other. "It's just that I keep thinking about it, but I can't really talk about it with anyone else." She had a feeling that the doctor herself had feelings for Akira, so telling her about the failed date was only asking for trouble. But as much as Sadayo hated to admit it, Takemi had been true to her word from the very beginning. "In the end, since you already know about our situation, you're the only one I can talk to when it comes to Kurusu-kun and me."

Takemi seemed surprised by her reasoning, sighing, "You do have a point there, but wasn't the reason for you to be here was to learn first-aid lessons?"

"Oh, right!" Sadayo dove back to the dummy's arm and went back to bandaging it.

After the way their date had ended, Sadayo had felt like the worst. She was so embarrassed that she ended up avoided visit Akira the night after. As she left from school she had originally planned to go for some drinks, but just as she was going to enter the station she got a text from Takemi. The doctor had let her know that she had a rare clear schedule for the rest of the day and had asked if she was still interested in those lessons. Without other important plans, Sadayo figured that the least she could do is spend time productively.

While Sadayo had known some of the basics, Takemi wanted to start with bandaging. At least, that was the intended purpose, but the moment Takemi had asked her how she was doing, the floodgates had opened.

"There, done!" Sadayo declared victoriously. Hands on her hips, she turned towards Takemi. "So, what do you think? Much better this time around?"

Takemi rolled her chair closer to the examination bed, then pulled at the bandages. "Well, at least you didn't forget the dressing this time, but it's too loose." With a minimum amount of force, her lacquered nails pried the strips open, revealing the dummy's wooden skin underneath.

Sadayo groaned in frustration. "But you told me earlier that it was too tight!"

"Yes, because with the way you did it, you might as well cut off the patient's circulation. This, on the other hand, will probably fall off before the patient gets home. You need to make sure that it's tight enough to hold the dressing on the wound but loose enough that it doesn't cause discomfort." Takemi leaned closer, showing a devilish smile as she rested her head on her forehand. "If you want, let's ask Kurusu. He's quite good at tying knots to keep things in place. I'm sure he'd love to give you a demonstration..."

Sadayo's red face turned away. Akira had warned her that Takemi has a habit of messing with people, and Sadayo could guess that the doctor was talking medically. But still… why did she have to make it sound so… suggestive?

Clearing her throat, Sadayo finally replied, "I'll… think about it."

The doctor giggled, undoing the rest of the bandages. "So, what will you do now?"

"Huh?"

"Have you talked to Kurusu about this last night?" Tae nonchalantly asked as she moved the dummy back to the corner.

"W-well we talked on the phone about some other things and—"

"But you didn't go to see him?" Takemi turned her gaze towards Sadayo, her brow raised in confusion.

"I-I..." Sadayo faltered at the piercing gaze. She turned away in shame. "No."

"Why not?"

Sadayo fiddled with the hem of her shirt. She really didn't have any reason why she couldn't go see him. He had even invited her, but she ended up making an excuse about having to deal with some school work.

"Are you having second thoughts about being with him?"

"No, of course not!" Sadayo declared with full force. "It's just that I'm not sure if..."

She inwardly cringed at the weak whisper. She does want to be with him — she knows that for certain. But does she _deserve_ to be with him? Is it okay? Won't he just get hurt? Those doubts had begun to form the day she started working with the volleyball team, solidifying when Akira had explained to her about twisted desires, and became undeniable when she had been reminded last night.

Was she really worth all of this?

"If I remember correctly, I asked you if this was a good idea." Takemi returned to her chair, smirking slyly. "Wasn't your answer along the lines that being with him was worth the risk?"

"I-I guess…" Sadayo meekly responded.

"If you two want to keep going at this then I won't stop you. But a word of advice: if you truly think he's worth it, then I suggest that you stop second-guessing yourself and make a move."

Takemi leaned closer, never losing that smirk that made her so hard to read. "After all, you never know when someone else might come along and steal him away."

Once again, Sadayo was left blushing and speechless by the doctor. Hoping that the words were truly meant as advice, and not something else.

* * *

With a turn of the key, Sadayo entered her apartment. "Huzzah" she halfheartedly cheered to herself, "she survives another week."

Today was especially tiring. Despite her best efforts, she had made zero progress with the girls' volleyball team. Every time she tried to initiate something, the group would just give her the cold shoulder and do their own thing. Sadayo was honestly starting to wonder if it really was a good idea to accept Ms. Chouno's request.

To add more crap to her day, the school staff had to stay overtime, even though the principal himself was only there for a brief moment. Apparently, a lot of staff members have been handing in their resignation, which meant greater strain on the remaining employees. There were a lot of empty positions now, but hopefully new staff should appear by the beginning of the next quarter... but Sadayo doubted it. New faces could allow for a fresh start for the school, but Shujin's reputation is at an all-time low.

Ms. Chouno has problems of her own as well. One of the teachers that had left the school was the one that had been helping Ms. Chouno with the school trip plans, leaving her stranded with a lot of unfinished work. She was also having difficulty getting information from the principal, who's continued lack of appearance was starting to grate on all the teachers, regarding their budgeting for the trip. This made solidifying any plans next to impossible. Hearing this, Sadayo had been tempted to offer her help; she already knew a number of possible locations from watching travel guides and from stories her mother had talked to her about. In all honesty, Sadayo would rather be doing that than the coaching, but she ended not bringing up the subject with Ms. Chouno.

Sadayo dropped her bag and keys on the kitchen table, taking her phone and plopping on her couch. She wanted to relax for a bit, let out some steam, and as she looked for Akira in her message app, she hoped he wasn't too busy.

 **[S]:** Hey…

 **[A]:** Hey.

 **[A]:** I'm guessing things didn't go well today either?

Her lips slowly shifted to a smile at his message, glad that he replied so quickly. The topic of the volleyball team was one that Sadayo had been recently talking to him about often. She was thankful when he did this back when she had worked as a maid, and even more so now as she struggles to make progress as a teacher.

 **[S]:** Yeah

 **[S]:** And that's not the only thing that we have to deal with.

She started to type out her frustration, but soon realized how much it would take.

 **[S]:** Hey, are you able to call?

Sadayo eagerly clasped her phone in both hands, watching the blinking dots on the screen.

 **[A]:** Sorry, but Boss is still in the shop. I can try using the public phone but I'd worry he'd be curious.

Slumping in defeat on the couch, Sadayo groaned. She wanted to see him, hear him, visit him and have him close. But it was still too early. Maybe meet up somewhere else, but wasn't that too risky? Should she really push for that, when things went so badly last time?

Her thoughts went back to what Takemi had told her.

Sadayo wanted to be with Akira. She didn't want to be ashamed of being with him. She hated her actions in the museum and wanted to change.

 **[S]:** Hey, do you…

Sadayo swallowed the lump in her throat. Steeling herself, she typed.

 **[S]:** Do you want to try going out on a date another shot?

As if the phone would combust from her suggestion, Sadayo closed her eyes and put it down on the couch.. It was quiet for a while and Sadayo was beginning to feel like she made a mistake, but soon enough…

 **[A]:** Are you sure?

 **[A]:** I mean sure

 **[A]:** But…

 **[S]:** I know

 **[S]:** But, I don't want to just give up.

 **[S]:** So please

 **[S]:** Can we give it one more shot?

….

 **[A]:** Of course.

* * *

Sadayo entered the Venus Fort Shopping center in Palette Town. A mixture of terror and excitement mixed through her mind as she took out her phone and double checked where Akira had told her to meet. It was his idea to go all the way to Odaiba, partially because there was something he wanted to check out, but also because it was very far off.

Entering the Verona Cafe, Sadayo couldn't help but giggle at the sight of her boyfriend sitting in one of the enclosed booths in the back, particularly one that was slightly obstructed from the entrance. He was wearing a different ensemble of his usual attire; a blue V-neck with a black overshirt and jeans — all topped with a bolo tie.

"We can't meet at a cafe, so we're meeting at another cafe?" Sadayo wryly greeted him, curious about Akira's reasons for coming here.

"Trying something different today. Figured we'd try baby steps, start with our comfort zone," Akira smiled confidently before going back at his menu.

"I'm pretty sure this is nothing like how we meet in Leblanc," Sadayo replied with a smirk as she took a seat across him.

Akira gave a playful shrug. "Sadly, I don't think this cafe has an attic we could borrow, so this will have to do."

Sadayo giggled, taking the menu in front of her. Admiring the art and the cafe logo, she shared her insight. "I'm not an expert with Western stories, but Verona? It's the family name of that woman from another romance tragedy, right…?" she trailed off, noticing his stare. Self-conscious, Sadayo brushed her hair behind her ear, feeling the simple pearl earring jostle. "I-is there a problem?"

"You look beautiful," Akira simply answered.

He wasn't the only one that had gone for something different yet similar. Sadayo herself was wearing a yellow blouse, but with no lines and with wavy short sleeves. Her denim skirt was darker, longer and more flowy than her usual. And her shoes are open-toed and have slightly higher heels, giving her a few extra inches closer to his height.

Speechless at the brazen compliment, Sadayo hid her scarlet face behind the menu. Hearing a small chuckle from her boyfriend at the other end, Sadayo focused on the menu, then looked around. Warm lights and wooden panelings, the place felt tasteful, but even though the menu was not expensive, the items were still high-priced compared to what she was used to.

"Don't worry, it's on me," Akira quickly interjected. "Feel free to let me know what you like."

"I-I don't know," Sadayo bit her lip; surely, she wasn't that cheap? She already gets free coffee from Leblanc, after all. "I can pay on my own and I shouldn't—"

"It's fine. This is supposed to be a date, right? So it's only fair that I treat my date." Akira winked at her teasingly.

"That's kind of old-fashioned these days," Sadayo tried to sound disapproving even as her cheeks warmed. She knew that he was doing it on purpose to get to her, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the special treatment.

"What can I say? I'm an old-fashioned guy when it comes to certain things," Akira shrugged nonchalantly.

"I guess I'll allow it this time." Sadayo gave in with little effort and returned to the menu. "But are you sure we'll be okay here? Won't it be bad if someone comes in and—"

"Sadayo it's fine," Akira calmly and quietly interjected. "No one knows us here, and I don't think that people will first think of us as a couple, let alone teacher and student." He grinned. "At most, they might think of us as relatives."

"I don't know how I feel about that," Sadayo bemoaned. While yes, she would prefer if people didn't assume who they are dating for obvious reasons, a part of her didn't know what she'd do if someone came to the conclusion that she was his aunt or mother.

"Either way, don't think about it too much. One of the most important things you can do to blend in is to be confident. People are less likely to find you suspicious if you just act like nothing's wrong."

"So we're bluffing," Sadayo raised her brow.

"That's one way of looking at it," Akira chuckled. "It's more about changing one's cognition of the situation and making them project what you want them to project.

"Again with the whole cognition thing," Sadayo sighed, not quite sold on Akira's reasoning. "I just don't see how well that can work."

"If you want an example, how about my situation in Shujin? No matter how well-behaved I am, people still think of me as a criminal." Akira airily waved a hand.

Sadayo frowned, feeling slightly peeved that she was more worried than him for his alienation at school. She pursed her lips, conceding his point about cognition. "But that still doesn't help me with confidence."

"You'll get the hang of it. I know you can. After all, you're a very capable woman."

Sadayo buried her face into the menu once more.

They both soon decided what they wanted and Akira left the table to make the orders. Keeping what he said in mind, Sadayo watched him, noting his confident swagger — and trying not to linger on his backside — that was normally muted in school. She was always surprised at how Akira could keep his cool and play it off without problems. While she kept darting looks to the door for potential problems, Akira was chill as you please, able to act like nothing was out of the ordinary. Soon enough, he got their drinks and returned.

"For the lady," Akira smiled, placing her drink and scones first on the table.

"Thanks," Sadayo blushed. She grabbed one of the guilt-free scones, feeling a bit peckish.

"Sooo…" Akira settled on his seat with little ceremony, "guessing things are rough right now at Shujin."

Sadayo just sighed as she picked her cup. "When it comes to the volleyball team nothing has really changed. Sad as it is... I'm starting to get used to it."

"You shouldn't," Akira replied, stern but worried. He took out a pen and his probation diary. "Though I can understand why they would be apprehensive about you. Still, that just makes it more important for you not to give up on them."

Running a finger around the rim of her cup, Sadayo let out a soft, defeated chuckle. "I know… It's just… I don't know how I can reach out to them if they won't let me. I don't want to force them. But with the way things are, those girls will end up leaving the school resentful of us." She stared into her coffee. "Then again… they have every right to be. And that's not the only thing."

Deciding to eat instead of just poking her food, she took one of her scones and began to gingerly nibble on it. She leaned back in her seat, hoping it would subside the feeling of guilt. "We just found out that a lot of the staff are leaving the school. Because of this, those that are staying have to deal with a lot of pressure. Honestly, with all that happened and the fact that the principal is practically nonexistent, our school reputation is scraping the bottom of the barrel by this point."

Her boyfriend's head was bowed. Recognizing his expression, Sadayo leaned close, aiming her partially eaten scone at him. "Don't you dare apologize for this."

"I don't plan to," Akira replied flatly, truly no hint of regret in his response. "At least not for my actions, but I do feel bad that this has made things all the more difficult for you."

"Maybe it's what I deserve." Sadayo let out a sad smile. "I mean I ignored them for the longest time; I don't think I'm the right person to reach out for them."

"I think you are," Akira interjected once more. "You know what it's like to feel like nothing you do matters, to feel like you're all alone and no one will hear you." He placed his elbows on the table and clasped his pen between hands, leaning his chin on them. "The circumstances may have been different, but that feeling was still something you dealt with. I just think you need to find a way to show them this, in your own way."

"My own way, huh..." Not sure exactly what to make of this, Sadayo took a sip of her drink. "Huh, this is—" Sadayo froze, eyeing her boyfriend. "I mean it's—"

"It's fine, you don't have to hide it," Akira chuckled. "This blend is quite good, better than I can make." He took another sip, contemplatively writing in his notebook. "They definitely do a good job at keeping the bean's profile."

"Is this why you wanted to come here?" Sadayo pondered, having just now noticed the notes that Akira was taking.

"I was curious since I've been hearing people talk of this place. The coffee they served at the diner is instant stuff, so it makes for bad comparison to Leblanc." He sipped his coffee again. "I will say though, it has nothing on Boss' brew."

"That much of a high praise huh? I might just have to risk it and try it for myself one day." Sadayo smiled, happy to see him so enthusiastic. "But for now, I look forward to your next batch. Who knows? Maybe someday you'll have your own cafe."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"Why not?" Sadayo asked, both surprised and worried at the solemn tone her boyfriend took. "Actually, now that I think about it, Takemi had told me something about—"

Her words died at the sudden seriousness on Akira's face, his gaze directed to somewhere behind her. "Kurusu-kun?"

Akira sighed, swiftly hiding his pen and notebook. "Don't worry, just remember what I told you and act confident. Do you have a book with you in hand?"

"Um, yeah. Why?"

"Just take it out and have a read. I'll be back soon." With those final words he gave her a confident smile before vanishing under the table, taking his cup and saucer with him.

"Huh!? W-wait a minute," Sadayo stuttered in a hushed tone. She peeked under the table, half-awed at the lack of troublemakers nor any spillage of hot coffee. After a few seconds of debating what to do, Sadayo returned to the surface and decided to focus on Akira's instructions. While her book was open for reading, her eyes admittedly darted around, trying to get a glimpse at what had him alarmed. Belatedly, she remembered that he'd have a clear view of the entrance...

"Ms. Kawakami?"

The yelp halted all noise in Verona Cafe. Embarrassed, Sadayo meekly straightened herself. Clearing her throat, she waited for the noise to trickle back before facing the familiar person beside her. "Ye-yes? Mi-Mishima-kun?"

"So it _is_ you, Ms. Kawakami?" Mishima Yuuki blinked. Looking around, probably at some of the curious customers, he leaned forward, voice nearly a whisper. "I must say, I'm surprised to see you here. Didn't know you were into these kind of things."

"Um, yeah, just felt like looking around the shops and decided to stop here for a bit. The atmosphere is quite nice," Sadayo awkwardly smiled, not sure how to handle him.

Like Suzui-chan, Mishima-kun clearly took a lot of Kamoshida's abuse. Sadayo felt bad, especially since he sat close to the front row everyday, his injuries were easy to spot. But to her confusion, once things were over he seemed more than content to just move on, unlike the other victims. The only thing that was noteworthy is how much he loved talking about the Phantom Thieves, though it wasn't surprising considering he was among the people they'd saved.

In the end, Sadayo wasn't sure if she should be relieved that he didn't hold any animosity towards her or worried that he was just keeping quiet like before.

"So, Mishima-kun," Sadayo began, thinking of ways to escape while trying to be helpful, "What brings you all the way here? Are you also interested in a place like this?"

"W-well sort of..." Mishima-kun admitted with a bit more embarrassment than Sadayo expected. It was short-lived as he looked again at his surroundings before turning back to Sadayo. "Actually, I'm here because of Kurusu."

"Really?" Sadayo stared at him with wide eyes, half-surprised and half-dismayed. "He sent you here?"

"Well, technically no. But when we talked he seemed really interested in this place. So I figured I'd gather some information on it."

"I see..." Sadayo Simply replied, dumbfounded at their terrible luck. Honestly, if it wasn't for their current predicament, she would've found Mishima-kun's desire to help Akira as a very admirable gesture.

Suddenly her phone pinged. Sadayo shifted to make sure that Mishima-kun couldn't see the screen. "Sorry."

 **[A]** : Sorry, I didn't expect him to show up just because of that.

 **[A]:** For now tell him you're meeting with an old friend you haven't seen in a while, but they were not able to make it.

 **[A]:** That should give you a good excuse to take your leave.

"Really now?" Sadayo couldn't help but sigh at Akira's response.

"Is something the matter?"

"No, I'm just talking to a friend. We were supposed to meet up and spend some time together, but apparently plans have changed." Sadayo's disappointment was quite believable, mainly because it wasn't an act. After all the effort it took her to muster the courage to ask Akira out, things were just going to be ruined again. "Anyway, if it's alright with you, I think I'll take my leave."

"Oh, su-sure," Mishima-kun stuttered, maybe picking up on her frustration.

Sadayo picked her cup, blowing on the warm coffee, aware of her student's fidgeting at the corner of her vision. He seemed to have a hard time looking her way, as his eyes kept averting away from her when he felt her gaze on him. Probably wasn't comfortable interacting with any of the teachers after what happened to him. She felt a bit sorry for him, and didn't want to blame him per se, but she still couldn't control the ' _go away'_ or ' _let me leave'_ vibes from her mood. She began to sip her coffee; it still tasted fantastic, but it wasn't as enjoyable as before.

"Actually, if you don't mind, there is something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Huh?" Sadayo blinked, stunned at Mishima-kun's sudden request and determination. She placed her cup back on the saucer, biting her lip. If she leaves _now_ , she can still salvage her date, but right now, a student she failed was asking something of her... "I-I don't know."

"Please, it will only take a minute." Mishima-kun formally bowed.

"Okay, okay, just sit down already. Geez..." Sadayo quickly waved him to Akira's former seat, worried about making another scene.

"Thank you," Mishima-kun nodded.

When he didn't say anything after a few moments of settling, opting to instead awkwardly stare at her, Sadayo just sighed, once again cursing her luck. "Okay, so what is it? Do you have any questions? Is there something you need help with? I'll try to do what I can, but I can't promise you I'll be able to help."

"No no, nothing like that." Mishima-kun finally broke from his staring by vigorously shaking his head, like trying to wake up from a dream. He bowed his head, cheeks slightly pink. "I… just want to say, thank you."

"Wait, what?" Sadayo was surprised, nearly yelping again. She tried to process her student's reasoning, but it only lead to listing out more reasons to hate her. "I honestly don't think I deserve any thanks from you. After all I was your homeroom teacher and yet I did nothing when you were… abused." Unable to look at him, she peered into her now lukewarm coffee. "If anything you should hate me."

Mishima-kun fell quiet. The silence was heavy despite the chatter and bustle of the cafe, stretching long enough that Sadayo managed to drain half of her drink and finish one of her scones – anything to keep herself busy.

"Honestly," Mishima-kun finally spoke, looking back at her, "I don't feel like I have the right to be angry."

"What do you mean?" Sadayo asked, curious and concerned.

"It wasn't just the school that ignored what Kamoshida was doing. There were always rumors flying around, so some of the students and staff would've known or at least get curious about something, but no one did anything. No one bothered to listen. And it was the same with the parents as well." Mishima-kun clasped his hands on his lap, fiddling with the hem of his shirt with sadness and disappointment. "My own parents knew about how beat up I was when I came home. I told them that I wasn't cut out for sports and that, maybe, I should quit. But they told me that I couldn't. That being in the team was a surefire way to get a scholarship to any university since Shujin is so famous. So I put up with it, even if I didn't want to."

"I'm… really sorry to hear that." Sadayo wilted, once again reminded of how little she knew about her students. "I wish I could have done something to help."

"It wouldn't have changed anything," Mishima-kun shook his head. "Almost no one was willing to speak up against him, and those that did, and even if they did it was Kamoshida's word against theirs" He raised his head, revealing an expression of dejection and resignation. "I don't mean to be rude, but honestly? I doubt you would've been able to do anything."

"That… might be true..." Sadayo took his reply to heart. As much as she hated to admit it, she did find some comfort in the admission that she wouldn't have changed much. But that was only short-lived as it was quickly replaced with disgust at herself for having such thoughts. "Still, it doesn't matter whether or not I could've changed things. I still should've tried to protect you all. Maybe if they knew that someone would hear them out, then maybe they would've spoken up, and maybe we could have gotten enough people for investigation. I failed you because I didn't act, and for that, I'm sorry."

From her seat, Sadayo bowed. It was becoming a habit for her as of late, something she felt she'd still be doing for some time. Every time she did, she always felt like she hadn't done enough to deserve their forgiveness, but she wanted to do her best to close the gap that she had created due to her negligence. If prostrating herself would do that, then she felt she would.

"Honestly… I wish I had done nothing, compared to what I did."

Sadayo raised her head, perplexed by her student's remark.

"I was the one that called Suzui-san to Kamoshida's office that day before her… jump." Mishima-kun stared hard at the table. "I could tell he was more upset than normal. If I had warned her, or maybe not said anything at all, she could've just gone home without anything happening to her."

Mishima-kun tensed, his arms traveling to cling to his knees as he continued to look downward. "But I wasn't strong enough, I was too afraid. So I just did as I was told, not even thinking about what I was doing to others."

The obvious guilt was something he had been holding on for some time. Sadayo knew because she could recognize herself in him. She shuffled closer, words of encouragement on the tip of her tongue—

"It wasn't just Suzui-san either," Mishima-kun interrupted her thoughts, "I hurt Kurusu as well."

Sadayo almost flinched. "W-what do you mean?"

Mishima-kun took a deep breath, as if preparing himself mentally. "Remember the rumors about him that spread at the very beginning of the school year?"

"Do I ever..." Sadayo remarked with annoyance. Something niggled at the back of her head about the new topic "They've only gotten worse and worse as time went on."

"Um… I was the one that leaked his record."

It was only the mindfulness that they were in public that held back her tone, but Sadayo still responded with more snappy anger than she had intended. "What?!"

Mishima flinched.

He looked like a man before a firing squad. The teacher in Sadayo wanted to be more understanding, but considering how much suffering Akira had to endure… considering the fact that he was _her boyfriend_ , the woman in her was clamoring for execution. "Explain. _Now_."

"Ka-kamoshida made me do it! He told me about Kurusu's record and had me leak it to the students!" Mishima shrank in his seat, voice only a nervous whisper. "He probably wanted to get rid of him right off the bat, so he planned to make his life miserable until Kurusu snapped and attacked someone, considering his record. N-not that I believe Kurusu would do that!"

Sadayo didn't know the face she was making, but Mishima gulped in terror.

But he ultimately continued, lowering his head once more, "Still… Kamoshida may have been the one who ordered it, but in the end, I was the one who actually did it. It's my fault."

When he fell quiet, Sadayo became aware of the rhythmic tapping on the table. It went on for a few more moments, before Sadayo leaned back to her seat, letting out a disheartened sigh. She pressed the bridge of her nose in frustration. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." She looked at her student through her fingers, absorbing the rest of his explanation. "Still, just when you thought that the guy couldn't go any lower. Guessing that's why he was going to expel you as well."

She recalled the talk she had with Kamoshida when Akira had first arrived; how she bemoaned having the troublemaker in her class and wishing that he wouldn't show. While she was nowhere near as bad as Kamoshida, she couldn't deny that she had hoped for the criminal student to be kicked out of school.

But that was then.

"You know, I'm sure he doesn't blame you for that," the words tumbled out, more of a self-reflection than a response. Then Sadayo realized the insinuation. "I-I mean he doesn't seem to be the kind of person to think like that. Besides, it's never too late to change..." Sadayo couldn't help but smile a bit; she was saying the same encouraging words that Akira would say to her. "We all have things we regret doing, and we've all probably hurt someone that we cared about. But the important thing is to learn from it and make sure it never happens again. If we can do that, then maybe… then maybe having to go through that pain won't be in vain."

Eyes drifting sightlessly, Sadayo took the time to take in her own words, surprised that they came out of her mouth. A relieved chuckle returned her attention to her student.

"That sounds like something Kurusu would say," Mishima-kun sighed with a sad smile that felt all-too-familiar. "When he found out what I've done, he was shocked, but he never got angry or blamed me." It was his turn to smile. "Sure, he can be a bit harsh at times, but he's always willing to hear me out and even hang out despite of what I did to him."

He didn't seem to be afraid anymore when he raised his head to meet Sadayo. "You've been working to quell down those rumors, haven't you? People have talked about it at school. You even stood up for him when he was about to be expelled a second time. Back then, Takamaki rushed out to try to help, but I just stayed in the classroom." Mishima-kun bowed to Sadayo from his seat. "So thank you. Thank you for helping him through the wrongdoing that I did."

"It's really not worth thanking me over," Sadayo flailed her hands in embarrassment. "I mean, I originally didn't question things when you were about to be expelled, and I only started to stop the rumors because they were causing me too much trouble. I'm just selfish."

"You think so?" Mishima-kun looked at her with confusion. "Kurusu seems to think differently."

"W-what do you mean?" Sadayo awkwardly asked with blushing cheeks, always curious at what Akira had told others about her.

"Yeah, whatever could I mean?"

Luckily, none of the two made any loud yelps like she did earlier. Jumping farther into their seats didn't turn heads too, considering the ghost — who was _most definitely not there a second ago_ — standing behind them.

"Ku-kurusu?! What are you doing here?!" Mishima asked with an almost-shrill tone, still shaken.

"What do you mean? I'm the one that asked you about this place." Akira told Mishima-kun with an odd flatness. This changed when he turned to Sadayo, showing a hint of a smirk. "I will say, I didn't expect to run into you again, Sensei."

"Is it so strange for me to be here?" Sadayo tried, but failed to hide her smile from their inside joke of coincidental meetings.

"I guess not," Akira shrugged before turning back to Mishima-kun… and frowned.

Sadayo looked to find out why, only to find him staring at her. Was there something on her face?

Akira cleared his throat. "So, Mishima, what are _you_ doing here? I'm curious why you're here; when I asked you about this place, you told me you'd never been here before."

There was something strange about the way he said that. Sadayo tried to put a finger on it as she watched Akira sigh before approaching the seat Mishima-kun was sitting at with a look of annoyance, causing Mishima-kun to scurry further into the booth. Akira promptly sat on the open space, like a king reclaiming his land.

Which was an odd comparison, since he didn't look that intimidating with his geeky glasses. Sadayo blinked; Akira's eyewear had been absent earlier.

"W-well," Mishima-kun was back to awkwardness, for some reason, "considering your interest, I figured I'd try getting some info on the place." He seemed to be an eager mix of trying to appease and please. "I mean, you wouldn't stop talking your coffee preference when we took you to the Maiphhhhh—"

"Oookay, what is this about?" Sadayo asked with raised brow. This was the second time that Akira had covered someone's mouth in front of her, after all.

"I-It's nothing," Akira said with a straight face, right after furiously whispering something to Mishima-kun.

Sadayo noted Mishima-kun's bright red face. Now she _really_ wanted to know what he was about to say, but decided not to pry. At least for now. "Fine. Whatever you guys do on your free time is not my problem."

Her suspicious boyfriend jumped to the opportunity and introduced another topic. The evening deepened as they chatted. Akira got another round of drinks and snacks — he was going for the ' _I just arrived here'_ feeling, Sadayo guessed — and proved to be a good conversationalist to mitigate the awkwardness between the other two. When the talk drifted towards the Phantom Thieves and Medjed, Mishima-kun became animated, too excited like a fanboy. Although Akira seemed tired of it, he played along while Sadayo tried her best to sound indifferent, as a proper teacher should.

When she had finished her second cup of coffee, Sadayo suddenly realized that she was... relaxed. Probably because the setting felt like that one time when she had ended up fishing with Ryuuji and Akira. Just a coincidental encounter. It wasn't what she had planned for a date with Akira, but it was at least something. It was... nice, Sadayo decided, to be able to chat amiably with people in public again, even if it was with guys younger than her.

Eventually, they decided to part ways. Akira was the first to go, though he made sure to give Sadayo a secret wink. Clearly, he was plotting something.

Mishima-kun gave a slight bow. "Thank you again for listening to me, Sensei. Kurusu was right about you."

"In what way? You mentioned something similar a while back," Sadayo asked, figuring this time they wouldn't be interrupted.

"A while back, he told me that he really admired you. When I asked him why, he told me it was because despite how it may look on the outside, you were actually concerned for him. He was grateful to you for giving him a chance, and standing up for him. So he wants to make sure that people realize how great you are by proving you right."

"I… I see," Sadayo swallowed. Even as she did her best to not show any sign of being affected, warmth bloomed from her chest and tingled her toes. While she trusted Akira when he had said similar words in the museum, finding out that he had told others the same made it all the more certain that he truly believed it.

"He also told me that if I ever needed someone to talk to, that I should come to you. He probably knew that I still feel bad about what I had done to him, but I couldn't really talk about it for risk of being expelled. But he said that you were trustworthy, and I can see why now." Mishima-kun rubbed the back of his head, looking away awkwardly, which made Sadayo giggle.

At the sound, a strange look passed his face, the same one he had all throughout the evening that Sadayo momentarily thought he'd stare again, but he quickly shook his head.

He shyly smiled. "Anyway, I should head out as well. See you, Ms. Kawakami.

Sadayo waved at him goodbye. "Get home safely, Mishima-kun."

And with that, she was on her own. It was not the kind of date she hoped for, but she still felt a wonderful sense of gratifying accomplishment. Maybe someday, she and Akira will be able to truly have a memorable date, but for now, she was satisfied.

But as she figured, Akira wasn't.

Her phone pinged.

 **[A]:** Meet me by the seaside.

Sadayo wryly smiled, amused at how determined he was, but it was that determination that made her fall for him. Exiting the cafe, she notified him that she was on her way and began walking towards the location, only for her eyes to drift at a small little stand of souvenirs.

* * *

When she had first arrived in Tokyo all those years ago, Sadayo had always marvelled the city lights and sights of the metro. Odaiba stood out from her memory, in particular because of the Rainbow Bridge, now fully lit up in its spectacular glory. It had been a long time since she saw this sight, but it was the first time that she was here alone with a boyfriend. Sadayo walked close to the rail, admiring the reflection of the lights in the shimmering waters, when she saw him.

Leaning against the rail, he was nearly a silhouette amidst the twinkling lights behind him. A cool breeze swept past when he turned towards her; except for the front bangs held by his glasses on top of his head, his hair ruffled enticingly.

Akira smiled. "I'm glad you came. I felt kind of bad with how things ended up… again."

Sadayo giggled as she joined him by the rails, holding her bag close at her chest, cradling the newly purchased item. Waiting for a good time to present it to him. "We just can't catch a break, can we?"

"True, but it just makes me want to keep trying harder." Akira's smile morphed into a cocky smirk. "Still, it wasn't too bad, all things considered. But..."

"I wouldn't count it as a date per se," Sadayo finished, keeping a hand in her hair to hold it against the breeze. She gazed at the illuminated bridge, keeping the urge to touch her boyfriend's hair in check. Even with that restriction and how things went, a contented calm blanketed her. Part of her wondered if it would be okay to ask for a picture of them together, but she refrained. "I guess we'll have to take a raincheck on that date then."

"Why?" Akira replied, confused. He grinned at her puzzled expression. "The night's not over yet. There is one more place I would like to take you."

* * *

"It's beautiful…"

Kneeling on her seat as she peered out the window, Sadayo gazed at the sprawling Tokyo lights from up the ferris wheel. Her energy and excitement was more like a highschool girl than a teacher as she oohed and ahhed happily.

Beside her was Akira, smiling at her open wonder.

Sadayo wasn't sure what Akira had in mind when he said he wanted to take her somewhere, but when they'd stopped in front of the Daikanransha Ferris Wheel, her eyes lit up. Though her excitement quickly tempered down when she realized that they'd have to wait in line for their turn. It would be harder to justify lining together, but Akira just held her hand, gently reminding her about confidence. Thankfully, he didn't push her into doing it until she was ready, which led to him waiting in a corner while she prepared herself mentally.

Once that was done, they lined together and awaited their turn. Luckily it was uneventful, much to her surprise. Most of the people lining up were couples and were more engrossed with each other than their surroundings and Akira made sure to keep the staff member at the entry point focused on him. He sounded so natural that not once did they get asked or gawked at; maybe there _is_ some strong truth to what Akira had told her about confidence.

Soon enough, they were onboard and the door was closed. They were alone together and Ferris wheel spun them high.

"You can see so far into the city!" Sadayo turned to her boyfriend, sporting the biggest grin she had in some time. "Look Mast—"

Akira chuckled when his girlfriend bumped her head against the glass in embarrassment.

Sadayo frustratedly groaned without lifting her head from the window. "Why do I keep slipping up like that?"

At first, she figured it was just a remnant from calling him Master and hoped that it would eventually stop. But it didn't; maybe it was because she was still dressing up as a maid to visit him? Or maybe it was some sort of automatic response during excitement since she previously had to force it? Sadayo lifted her face and turned back towards her boyfriend.

While clearly amused, Akira never pushed things with her in that sort; he even told her at the start that she didn't need to. But with their strange relationship, it strangely felt endearing to call him as that. A silly little reminder, of how things started between them.

"Sorry," Sadayo slid down from kneeling on the seat and properly positioned herself like a mature adult. "I probably shouldn't be acting so excited about this."

"It's fine," Akira chuckled. "I'm really glad you like it. Have you ridden this before?"

"No… this is my first time. I actually have always wanted to do something like this at least once. You know, like one of those scenes you see in romance movies," Sadayo sighed. "But as time went on, I never got the opportunity… I just figured that I had grown too old for those kinds of things." Her hands slowly closed on her lap, gripping some of her skirt. "But here I am, now enjoying this view, going on an actual date, being able to do this… but it's with _you_ of all people."

"Geez, thanks," Akira playfully rolled his eyes.

"I don't mean it like that," Sadayo let out a small laugh. Then she became somber. "I just… I'm still not sure how I feel about all of this. For the longest time, I thought that I had nothing else to look forward to. That all I could do was make it to the next day and make those payments. I'd given up trying to find anyone, to live my life. Thinking back to it now, I honestly felt like I was... dead inside."

His hand traveled to hers. _Of course_. Grateful, Sadayo opened her palm and intertwined her fingers with his.

Sadayo exhaled. "Yet now, I'd regained my love for teaching, I don't have to worry about making those payments, I was able to reconnect with my mother, I'm starting to get along with my peers," she shook her head, amazed, "and even my health is improving! And on top of all that, I'm with _you_. A stubborn, snarky, troublemaker of a student. My life has gotten so much better, so much so that sometimes, I get scared that I'll wake up one day and find that all of this was just a dream. That I'll be all alone, just wasting away again… And honestly, I wonder if I even deserve all of this."

The clouds of doubt began to form again. What had she done to deserve so many good things coming her way? What had she done to deserve his affection, when she couldn't even confess her own? Tears welled up in her eyes, but before they fell, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

"Huh?" Sadayo looked up to see Akira hovering over her, embracing her from the side.

"Hold on," he said, then suddenly pulled her away from her seat.

"What the—!?" Sadayo yelped as she fell into Akira's lap. The action caused the cart to dangerously sway. "Oh GOD! It's moving! MAKE IT STOP!"

Akira couldn't help but laugh, even as his girlfriend's nails threatened to break his skin, clinging to him with tightly closed eyes. He held her close, never letting go even as the swaying eventually stopped.

Realizing the lack of movement, Sadayo slowly raised her angry glare at his face. She harshly slapped his shoulder. "What was that about?!"

"It got your attention, didn't it?" Akira unapologetically smirked.

' _His eyes have specks of black_ ,' Sadayo thought, just as she realized that she was practically sitting on top of his lap. All of the blood rushed to her head and the air was trapped in her chest, especially when his amusement vanished, pinning her with an intense gaze.

"Sadayo… do you... regret falling for me?"

His voice was calm, gentle, and understanding. But the fact that he asked that caused her heart to ache.

"No, not at all. I tried really hard to shut down these feelings, but no matter how much I try, I couldn't deny my feelings for you," Sadayo's grip on his shirt tightened as she looked down, focusing instead on the glasses that hung on his chest. "I want to be with you, I really do. But, it's just that..."

She still felt guilty about being with him. Deciding to face his fear once and for all, Akira rummaged his pocket and took out his phone.

"Wait, what are you—"

"Doing something I should've done from the start." Akira pressed the MetaNav.

In that moment, Sadayo knew what he meant. She bit her lip in anticipation, hoping for the best, but fearing the worst.

Akira paid no mind to his clothes getting wrinkled by her tight grip. He inhaled.

Sadayo shut her eyes tight.

Akira exhaled. "Sadayo Kawakami who teaches at Shujin Academy."

It was only for a second, but for Sadayo it felt so much longer. Until:

 **[CANDIDATE NOT FOUND]**

Sadayo flinched.

...Then she realized she didn't know what kind of response was that. Was that good? Bad? Slowly, she opened her eyes.

Akira was smiling at her, evidently relieved.

Sadayo stared, comprehension gaining traction as the edges of her mouth steadily crept upward.

"There is nothing twisted or wrong in how you feel," Akira whispered, eyes somewhat glassy. "And the same goes for us, being together." He placed his hand gently on her cheek.

The warmth spread from there to the rest of her face. Sadayo leaned to it, struck speechless.

Akira wasn't. He wanted this woman, this wonderful woman, to _understand_. "Didn't I tell you before? You're just Sadayo Kawakami, a beautiful woman, and I'm Akira Kurusu, a man that fell in love with you."

A breath in the silent car, lights from the outside streaming inside.

"I love you, Sadayo."

The tears were floodgates. It was four simple words, but to hear him say them? It meant the world to her. She probably looked horrible, but she didn't care, and he didn't care, just continuing to look at her, wordlessly proving his words.

Sadayo held his hand to her wet cheeks, drawing strength from his warmth. She blurted, "So… it's okay?" She sniffled. "It's okay for me... to love you?"

Her head lowered and rested on his as her heart swelled with happiness, relieved that she can finally be honest. "You're a stubborn, cocky kid. You keep meddling into other people's lives and don't know when to give up. But that's what I love about you. I know I shouldn't, but I do."

He became blurry, but she knew that he was still looking at her.

"I love you, so much that it hurts sometimes," Sadayo cried. "I want to be with you. Things may not be perfect, and life may have gotten a whole lot crazier but… I'm happy, and you make me happy."

Calloused hands wiped away her tears, letting her calm down. Her sniffling slowly turned to self-conscious laughter. Sadayo took out a tissue from her pocket to wipe her nose. "Sorry, this is really embarrassing."

"Not at all," Akira smiled as he leaned his forehead against hers once more. "I think it was very cute. I'm glad you feel the same way."

Sadayo couldn't help but giggle happily at his words, even if he'd already said them. Just hearing them filled her heart with joy. "And here I was, saying that I was too old for this kind of stuff. You really are something, Kurusu-kun."

"Sadayo."

"Yeah…?" Sadayo finished wiping, and gazed into Akira's eyes. In them, she saw desire, similar to the night he had confessed to her.

"I want you to call me by my name."

Sadayo could feel her heart racing. His voice was intoxicating; she couldn't help but follow. "Kurusu… kun."

He began to move closer, and this time she met him halfway. She closed her eyes, and soon, all she felt was the soft, warm touch of his lips.

A warmth spread throughout her whole body before they slowly parted ways.

"Try again..." Akira breathed.

Dazed, the words came freely from Sadayo's still-warm lips. "Kurusu..."

Her response is met with another kiss. She felt his hand run through her hair.

"Again..."

Slight hesitation came, her face reddening by the second. "A… Akira."

She was rewarded with a prolonged kiss this time.

They stayed like this for some time, enjoying each other's touch. Her hands ran through his equally unruly hair as they clung to each other. A few moans of delight escaped their lips before eventually parting. Her nose rubbed his as they gazed at each other once more.

Finally, Sadayo laughed. "So much for baby steps."

Akira shared her smile, "Would you believe me if I told you that was my first?" He placed his hand on hers, gently caressing her.

"W-wow, really?" Sadayo stuttered, amazed to hear that in more ways than one. "You're… surprisingly good. I'm… I'm glad I was you're first."

"I'm glad to hear," Akira chuckled. "And so am I, but I admit that I'm at a lost on what to do now..." Akira looked towards Sadayo, wanting to hear what his girlfriend wished to do.

Sadayo pursed her lips, wondering if she should be so forward, even after all that has occurred. She turned her head away, but Akira gently brought her back to face him. His reflective gray eyes looked at her expectantly.

"Please tell me, what is it that you wish to do."

The way he said those words, paired with that smile of his, it was impossible for her to resist.

"Can we stay like this? I want you to look at me." Sadayo raised his hand from her cheek, lifting it to her mouth. She softly kissed his palm, smiling at his resultant blush. "I… I want to continue being with you. I want you to know more about me, and I want to know more about you. I want you to know me more than anyone else has. Is... that okay?"

"Of course," Akira leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. He gently pulled away her hair away from her ear and he whispered, "We'll take our time."

"Yeah," Sadayo giggled, feeling a bit of a tickling sensation from his lips and gentle breath on her ear. She pulled back slightly, taking him in, and whispered back his words, "We'll take our time."

She kissed him again.

Their situation may not be perfect and things may not be easy. But thanks to Akira, her whole world had opened up. It was something crazy and sort of magical — a life full of secret rendezvous and forbidden love. Of new encounters and rekindled contacts. Of maids and thieves. Of potential dangers and talking cats.

It was a life that she thought someone like her, a normal, desperate woman, would never experience, and she wouldn't give it up for anything.

Because he was worth it.

* * *

 **I'm sorry for the long wait once more. I had hope that Summer would be a time where I could pick up the pace, but Sadly this year has turn out to be a very eventful one for me (Both in a good way, and a bad way). Sadly am still dealing with stuff, so I still can't promise that I'll be returning to a more consistent schedule. But do know that I have zero intention to leaving this incomplete, so you won't have to worry on that at the moment. So once again, I thank you all for your patience.**

 **In other news, there has been a lot of Persona 5 Royal stuff being reveal and showing, and from the looks of things some big changes to the story are going to be happening. So I figure I explain how this will be affecting the story. For the most part it will be on a case by case bases. I plan to take some aspects of the Royal changes, but will leave most of it as the original iteration of the game went, as that is how I plotted the story to go (and already have made a number of changes myself). So Don't expect Kasumi to suddenly be retconned, but you might notices somethings being added. (this is especially true if they give us more Sadayo date locations). I would say that I'd keep you all inform of any other changes, but I admit that the uncertainty has added a bit more unpredictability than it had before. So keep an eye out for those.**

 **And finally Some A/N: I had from very early on intended to have Sadayo be from Kochi, but I admit that the Harimaya bridge was something I hadn't planned for and was amazingly surprised at how well it fit. One for the big reasons that this chapter took so long was all the research I had to do on stuff like Romance story in Japan (I was just as surprised as Akira) and Location. One of the difficulty of having the focus of your story be teacher is creating any sort of lesson, I did my best, but if I made an error than I apologize. Finally the cocktail dress that Sadayo took out was based on a fan art done by SpewingMews and the outfit Sadayo and Akira sported on their second date was based on the outfits their Japanese VA had during an interview, from which Goro5626 did a couple of cute sketches of as Akira and Sadayo.**

 **I hope you enjoy the chapter, and I'll see you in the next one.**

 **EDIT: Completely forgot, but as always a great amount of thanks goes to SomebodyLost for all their help. I couldn't had done it without them.**


End file.
